Mac Meissner Takes Lead at Barracuda Championship
In a surprising turn of events, 25-year-old Mac Meissner shot a bogey-free plus-16 on Friday to take a one-point lead over J.J. Spaun into the weekend at the PGA Tour’s Barracuda Championship in Truckee, California. Meissner, who has only played in four Tour events prior to this season and has yet to win on the Tour, showed impressive skill and composure during the first two rounds of the tournament.
Meissner started on the back nine at Tahoe Mountain Club’s Old Greenwood Course and opened with back-to-back birdies. He continued to play consistently well throughout the round, finishing with a total score of plus-26 after two rounds. The Barracuda Championship uses a Modified Stableford scoring format that rewards risk-taking, with birdies worth two points, eagles worth five, and albatrosses worth eight.
Meissner spoke about the format, saying, “(The Modified Stableford format) allows you to be a little bit more aggressive just because birdies are worth more than a bogey hurts you. I definitely have been a little bit more aggressive to tucked pins than I probably would normally be on a Friday or coming into the weekend.”
As for Spaun, the 33-year-old had a more adventurous day trying to keep up with Meissner. Spaun started out strong with three straight birdies and four birdies in his first five holes but experienced some ups and downs throughout the round, finishing with a total score of plus-25 for the tournament so far.
Other contenders in the tournament include Canadian Taylor Pendrith and Americans Sean O’Hair and Chan Kim, who are all tied for third place with a total score of plus-24. Round 1 leader Ben Silverman of Canada struggled on Friday, finishing with a total score of plus-16, just three points clear of the cut line.
Meissner’s impressive performance at the Barracuda Championship has put him in a strong position heading into the weekend. With a one-point lead over Spaun, Meissner will look to maintain his consistency and composure to secure his first PGA Tour victory. The tournament promises to be an exciting and competitive event as the players vie for the top spot on the leaderboard.
