TRUCKEE, Calif. — Ben Silverman birdied seven of his last nine holes and scored 19 points to take the lead Thursday in the Barracuda Championship, the only PGA Tour event that uses the modified Stableford scoring system.
Silverman had 10 birdies and a bogey on Tahoe Mountain Club’s tree-lined Old Greenwood layout for a two-point lead over Kelly Kraft.
“This place is gorgeous,” said Silverman, the 36-year-old Canadian seeking his first PGA Tour victory. “Really like this golf course.”
Players receive eight points for a double eagle, five for eagle and two for birdie. A point is deducted for bogey and three for double bogey.
“You try to put the points out of your head and just focus on making birdies and adding up your score normal,” Silverman said. ”You get rewarded for birdies and the points kind of take care of themselves. That’s how you try to do it.”
Kraft eagled the par-5 third and had seven birdies and two bogeys.
“I was just in scoring and the guy told me what I shot, and I was like, `I have no idea what I shot. I just know I had 17 points.’” Kraft said. “You’re kind of just trying to make birdies the whole time.”
Nate Lashley was third at 15, and Sam Ryder and S.H. Kim had 14. Lorenzo Scalise of Italy, one of 50 European tour players in the field, was at 13 with Patrick Fishburn and Vince Whaley.
With three weeks left in the FedEx Cup regular season, Lashley is 97th, Silverman 100th, Kim 110th, Ryder 120th, Fisburn 139th, Whaley 167th and Kraft 172nd. The top 70 will advance to the playoffs.
Taylor Pendrith — at No. 36, the highest-ranked player in the FedEx Cup in the field — had a 12-point round. The Canadian won at Colonial in May for his first PGA Tour title.
Ben Silverman, a Canadian golfer, is currently making waves on the PGA Tour as he leads the Barracuda Championship. The tournament, which is being held at the Tahoe Mountain Club in Truckee, California, features a unique scoring system known as the Modified Stableford format.
Silverman, who hails from Thornhill, Ontario, has been in impressive form throughout the tournament, racking up birdies and eagles to accumulate points under the scoring system. The Modified Stableford format awards players points based on their performance on each hole, with birdies earning two points, eagles earning five points, pars earning zero points, bogeys deducting one point, and double bogeys or worse deducting three points.
Silverman’s consistent play and ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities have propelled him to the top of the leaderboard. His strong performance has garnered attention from fans and fellow competitors alike, as he looks to secure his first PGA Tour victory.
The 34-year-old golfer turned professional in 2012 and has since competed on various tours, including the Web.com Tour and PGA Tour Canada. Silverman’s journey to the top of the Barracuda Championship leaderboard is a testament to his hard work and dedication to the sport.
As the tournament progresses, golf fans will be keeping a close eye on Ben Silverman as he looks to maintain his lead and potentially secure his first PGA Tour victory. With his skill and determination on full display, Silverman is proving himself to be a force to be reckoned with on the professional golf circuit.