Barracuda Championship Monday Q Recap

At approximately 5,700 feet above sea level, Old Greenwood Golf Club in Truckee, Calif., will deliver some of the longest drives of the year on the PGA Tour during the Barracuda Championship. Soaring irons, aggressive play and eagles are promised, and the Monday qualifier at Schaffer's Mill Golf Club was a preview of that. 

Corey Pereira is 29-years-old but the salt-and-pepper in his hair gives him the appearance of a more experienced player. In last week’s pre-qualifier for the ‘Cuda at Toiyabe Golf Club, outside Reno, Nev., the former Washington Husky smoked his opening drive down the middle, hit a mid-iron into the par-5 to 10 feet, and casually rolled in his eagle putt. A hopeful start to his ‘Cuda quest. 

Pereira again hit two perfect shots at the par-5 4th hole, leaving another short eagle opportunity. When that one fell, he was off to the races. The ‘Cuda is the PGA Tour’s only tournament with a stableford format, and each eagle is worth five points; two eagles in the same round could launch a player into contention. Pereira continued his dream start by adding a birdie at the 5th and playing steadily for the rest of the day, posting 5-under to advance to the Monday Q. 

At the Monday qualifier, Pereira was 2-over through seven holes and with every passing shot, it seemed less likely he’d qualify for his second-consecutive ‘Cuda. Then he eagled the par-5 8th hole and added four birdies in his next five holes, eventually shooting 5-under 66, which was good enough to get into a playoff.

Cal Poly senior, Baron Szeto, opened his round with an eagle on the par-4 1st hole and didn’t slow down. His 8-under 63 set the course record and topped the Monday leaderboard. Former Pacific Tiger Beau Forest shot 6-under 65, earning his first PGA Tour start. 

Five players competed for two spots in the playoff and Pereira was the first man through, followed by PGA Tour winner and former Presidents Cup International team member, Sangmoon Bae. As you may recall, Bae chunked a chip in the final match of the 2015 Presidents Cup, and then took two years off to fulfill mandatory military service in South Korea. His game never returned to form. 

Like Pereira in the pre-qualifier, Bae was lifted by two eagles in the Monday Q. At the ‘Cuda, a birdie is worth two points, an eagle is worth five, and a bogey is a one point loss. A successful tournament strategy might trade birdies for bogeys for four days. A winning performance adds eagles. When Akshay Bhatia won his first PGA Tour event at the ‘Cuda last season, he made eight bogeys and a double, but offset that with an eagle and 22 birdies. 

Both Bae and Pereira will spend the next two days mapping Old Greenwood Golf Course, looking for ways to build points. If they can continue to add eagles to their cards, these Monday qualifiers could soar through the weekend.

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