Barracuda Championship Format

The 25-year-old Barracuda Championship, which was earlier known as the Reno-Tahoe Open, was founded in 1999. The 26th edition of the event is slated for July 15–21, with the first round commencing on July 18.

The Barracuda Championship is a PGA Tour alternate event, which means a smaller field, less prize money, and fewer points awarded for winning. In 2020, it was moved to the Tahoe Mountain Club's Old Greenwood course in Truckee, California, from its previous location at the Montrêux Golf & Country Club.

The Legends at Sparks Marina agreed to serve as the tournament's first title sponsor in 2008, the "Legends Reno-Tahoe Open." In 2010, the name was changed back to "Reno-Tahoe Open" after two years, and in 2014, Barracuda Networks took over as the title sponsor.

What is the Barracuda Championship format?

The Barracuda Championship follows the Modified Stableford format.

In a Modified Stableford, points are awarded depending on the number of strokes made at each hole as opposed to the total number of strokes made, as in traditional stroke play golf. The goal is to have the highest score rather than the lowest, as is the case with standard scoring techniques. The number of strokes to par is compared to determine the number of points granted on each hole.

For instance, a double eagle (albatross) was made by Rhein Gibson at the 2016 Barracuda Championship on hole #18, giving him eight points. He received a $100,000 bonus for his par-5, and that sum was given to charity.

Barracuda Championship Rules

The rules for the Barracuda Championship are all about playing well since the number of birdies and eagles will increase the points rapidly, while bogeys and double bogeys will keep reducing them. The PGA Tour states that, in most cases, the Modified Stableford format strategy can be put up to taking risks, as it might reward a point.

To put it simply, a birdie is 2 points, but a bogey is -1 point; similarly, an eagle is 5 points, and an albatross is 8 points, which is the best-case scenario and rare. The worst a golfer can shoot is double bogeys, which will be -3, after which the golfer may pick up their ball and move ahead since he cannot lose any more points and cannot score any more on the hole. After that, they can play the next hole again.