(Reuters) – Chris Stroud grabbed a tournament-best 20 points in the final round to force his way into a playoff for the Barracuda Championship on Sunday before going on to capture his first PGA Tour victory.
Stroud shot up the leaderboard with his 20-point haul in the ‘Modified Stableford’ format, capped by an eagle at the 18th.
The format awards eight points for an albatross, five for eagle, two for birdie, zero for par, and subtracts a point for bogey and three for double-bogey or worse.
He then birdied the final hole twice in a playoff that also featured Greg Owen and rookie Richy Werenski after all three finished with 44 total points.
Stroud had played in 289 tournaments before breaking through with his triumph at Montreux Country Club in Reno where there were multiple weather delays.
“To finally get one is unbelievable,” Stroud told reporters after carding nine birdies, three bogeys and the eagle in his regulation 18 holes.
“I’ve putted with 15 different putters in the last two weeks and went back to an old (one). (The putts) started going in and that was the only difference this week.”
Owen entered the final round with a five-point lead but needed a birdie at 18 to reach the playoff. He was eliminated on the first extra hole after making par.
After posting just four points in the third round, Werenski finished fast with 14 on Sunday but was eliminated at the second extra hole after he made a par.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
