Tahoe Onstage photos by Michael Smyth
Reno hasn’t seen measurable precipitation since May. That is, until the Barracuda Championship began. Rain and lightning suspended round one on Thursday, and several violent deluges Friday afternoon further delayed and then suspended round two. Four groups have not played a single shot of their second round.
Mark Russell, President of Rules and Competition for the PGA Tour was hopeful to get some golf in before sundown on Friday. Mother Nature had other ideas however as wave after wave of heavy rain turned Montreux Golf & Country Club into a scene that well, only a barracuda would love.
Montreux superintendent Doug Heinrichs and his staff successfully fought the winter ice and May snowfall to have his track in top shape for the PGA Tour. Tomorrow they face a pre-dawn battle to have Montreux ready for what will hopefully be a dawn to dusk Saturday of golf at the base of the Galena forest.
But there were players that completed two rounds on Friday and took advantage of the softer conditions. They’ll all have the luxury of a good night’s rest and a leisurely morning to prepare for moving day.
Tom Hoge pushed his way to the top of the leaderboard with 21 points, while young guns Beau Hossler and Collin Morikawa pushed their totals to 20 points along with John Chin.
2017 Champion Chris Stroud is back in the Barracuda hunt at 18 points, while a pack of five players are tied for ninth place with 17 points each.
Play will begin at 7 7 a.m. Saturday with a target to complete the second round by 12:30pm. Tour officials will determine the 36-hole cut, which currently sits at five points, and begin the third round at approximately 1:15pm with threesomes going off the first and 10th holes. The Saturday forecast is for hot and dry weather. If all goes as planned, things should be back on track for a Sunday finish.
