Ryan Gerard capitalized on the Modified Stableford format by recording two eagles and shooting plus-13 to win his first PGA Tour title at the Barracuda Championship on Sunday in Truckee, Calif.
Gerard, a 25-year-old rookie from North Carolina who tied for eighth at the PGA Championship earlier this year, finished the week plus-47 at Tahoe Mountain Club’s Old Greenwood course, three ahead of South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen.
Now Gerard will be exempt on the PGA Tour for the next two years.
“It’s just a culmination of a lifetime of work,” Gerard said in a Golf Channel interview after the round. “I can’t tell you how many hours I spent hitting golf balls, dreaming of winning on the PGA Tour. It’s really special.”
The Modified Stableford scoring system employed at the event gives golfers points for positive holes — two points for a birdie, five points for an eagle — as opposed to the traditional stroke-play method where low scores are preferable.
Gerard entered Sunday tied for the lead with Rico Hoey of the Philippines and eagled the par-5 third and 11th holes, along with four birdies and five bogeys.
He swept in a downhill eagle putt at No. 3 and then a tough right-to-lefter from just off the green at No. 11.
van Rooyen, who won this event in 2021, made a late charge by eagling No. 15 and sinking a long birdie at No. 18. He polished off a plus-11 round and got himself within three points, meaning Gerard simply had to avoid a double bogey or worse on his final hole.
He did exactly that, two-putting for par to greenlight the celebrations.
Gerard was asked if he saw this coming given his form this summer.
“I want to say yes, but you never really know in this game. I’ve been playing a lot of really good golf, felt like I haven’t been quite getting the scores out of the shots that I’ve hit. It’s been a long time, a long grind and yeah, it’s pretty cool to end up on top.”
Englishman Todd Clements posted a plus-16 round to move to plus-39 for the week and finish third. He took advantage of the event opposite the Open Championship being co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour.
“Absolutely delighted to have the opportunity the last couple years,” Clements said. “I love coming here. I feel like it’s a golf retreat. I mean, absolute paradise. Yeah, I think everyone enjoys it and what it means for us coming over here. Yeah, it’s great fun.”
Tied for fourth at plus-37 were Beau Hossler (plus-17 round), Max McGreevy (plus-16) and South Africa’s Jacques Kruyswijk (plus-10).
Hoey finished his day with no points, his four birdies wiped out by an opening double bogey and five bogeys. He tied for eighth at plus-34.
Max Homa played in the event after failing to qualify for the Open Championship. His fourth-round score was identical to his first, a minus-1, with two high-scoring rounds sandwiched in between. He tied for 45th at plus-24.
–Field Level Media
