RENO, Nev. – Greg Chalmers birdied five of the final six holes Saturday to increase his lead to six points in the Barracuda Championship, the PGA Tour’s lone modified Stableford scoring event.
The 42-year-old Australian had seven birdies and a bogey for a 15-point round and 39-point total at Montreux in the scoring system that awards eight points for double eagle, five points for eagle, two points for birdie and deducts a point for bogey and three points for double bogey or worse.
Ben Martin and Gary Woodland were tied for second. Martin had eight birdies in a 16-point round, the best score of the week. Woodland had an 11-point round. He won the 2013 event for the last of his two PGA Tour titles.
Chalmers, Martin and most of the players are fighting for a spot in the British Open in two weeks at Royal Troon in Scotland. Because of the West Virginia floods that led to The Greenbrier Classic being canceled next week, a spot was transferred to the leading player not already eligible at Montreux. Woodland was the only player in the top 23 who has already qualified for the Open.
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., is T29 at 19 after a 12-point round, while Weyburn, Sask., native Graham DeLaet is tied for 49th with 15 points.