With the WGC inviting only 78 players there is a need for another event. Voila, the Barracuda Championship fills the void as an alternate tournament. That also means a less than sparkling field will assemble at the Tahoe Mountain Club for the first time. This is the PGA Tour’s only stop featuring the Modified Stableford scoring system, which credits points based on how players perform at each hole. For example, an eagle is worth five points, a birdie is worth two points and no points are awarded for par. Points are deducted for plus-strokes on a hole. Russell Henley hit the board as the betting favorite, but it’s really anyone’s game. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of updated betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Odds to Win Barracuda Championship at BookMaker.eu
Russell Henley +1800
Alex Noren +2200
Brendan Steele +2200
Ryan Moore +2200
Kurt Kitayama +2500
Patrick Rodgers +2500
Richy Werenski +2800
Sam Burns +2800
Matthias Schwab +2800
Emiliano Grillo +2800
Lanto Griffin +3000
Martin Kaymer +3000
Jhonattan Vegas +3300
Will Gordon +3300
Scott Stallings +4000
Si Woo Kim +4000
Talor Gooch +4000
Troy Merritt +4000
Pat Perez +4000
Kristoffer Ventura +4000
Bud Cauley +4000
Cameron Davis +4000
Ryan Armour +4000
Adam Schenk +4500
Aaron Wise +5000
Branden Grace +5000
Charley Hoffman +5000
Kyle Stanley +5000
Sebastian Munoz +5000
Kyoung Hoon Lee +6000
Chase Seiffert +6000
Ben Martin +6000
Wyndham Clark +6000
Sam Ryder +6600
Brian Stuard +6600
Denny McCarthy +7000
Matthew NeSmith +7000
Bronson Burgoon +7000
Odds Analysis
Talor Gooch +4000
A blistering start last week was followed by a cold weekend leaving Gooch tied for 18th at the 3M. Despite the crash, opening with rounds of 66 and 65 was encouraging. It’s been an up and down season for Gooch, but he has had some nice finishes in similar-field events. His best was T4 at the Houston Open and he also has four other top-20s, including two in his last three starts. Favorable odds with a track record make him an inviting pick.
Alex Noren +2200
With 10 wins on the European Tour Noren knows what it takes. He’s still searching for that maiden PGA Tour trophy and came close last week finishing T3 at the 3M Open. For the last three winners of this tournament it was their first victory and Noren slides into that category. He gained strokes putting in every round last week and displayed an all-around game that’s fitting for success.
Matthias Schwab +2800
Another Euro circuit regular making the trek to the California mountains, Schwab is coming off a T32 last week at the 3M where his struggled on the greens. That he finished so high while losing 1.7 strokes per round putting is a sign that the rest of the game is in order. If the young Austrian can repair the flat stick he’s a standout in this field and poses a threat to everyone. I have no problem backing him at the current price.
Martin Kaymer +3000
It’s hard to imagine a golfer in his mid-30s having the emotional roller coaster of a career Kaymer has had. A two-time Major winner and former world No. 1, he lost his PGA Tour card for the 2015-16 season and has gone five years without a victory. He’s been plugging along on the Euro Tour and went T16 or better in four of five starts before the shutdown. He’s playing for the first time since then and there’s likely to be some rust. But wagering on a proven winner in a field like this is a no-brainer.
Sahith Theegala +11000
Can lightning strike twice? Or even a third time? After watching collegiate sensations Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland get their first Tour wins in alternate events last year Theegala is next in line, and the odds are enticing. The start to Theegala’s pro career hasn’t been on the same trajectory with three straight missed cuts, but the kid can play and this field is more to his liking. I’ll throw a little on him for a hefty payday in return.
Course: Tahoe Mountain Club – 7,390 yards, Par 71
After 21 years at the Montreux Golf and Country Club in Reno, the Barracuda moves to a new location. One thing that hasn’t changed is the elevation. Situated in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Old Greenwood Course at the Tahoe Mountain Club plays a little shorter at 7,390 yards, but that’s irrelevant since the altitude will allow balls to fly. A number of short par 4s are perfect for the Modified Stableford giving players a chance to collect points and make up ground. Conversely, the par 3s can be nasty with tricky, rolling greens. And a reminder that players want to be on the plus side in this system. Morikawa won his first Tour event last year with a +47 at the Barracuda.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel
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