Arjun Atwal has leapt 31 spots with a four under 68 that gained him 10 points in the second round of the Barracuda Championships at Reno in Texas. The Indian is positioned for a chance at a top 10 finish, if he can make a couple of good rounds over the weekend. Atwal made six birdies and two bogeys to enter the weekend at T14 at 17 points. Nick Watney extended his lead to three after scoring 8 points in the second round. Watney is at 26 points, leading Geoff Ogilvy who is second at 23. Wes Roach is third with 22 points.
The Barracuda Championships are played under the modified Stableford scoring system that offers points for gaining shots and takes away points when the golfer makes bogey or worse. Players receive eight points for double eagle, five for eagle, two for birdie, zero for par, minus-one for bogey and minus-three for double bogey or worse.
Atwal made 34 on either side of his run after getting off to a shaky start. The 2010 Wyndham Champion made bogeys at the first and third, but four birdies on the front nine set him for a productive round of golf. The Indian kept it steady on his way back home, as he gained four more points on the back nine to complete his round with an efficient 68.
Watney added four points to his 18 from the first round, when he made back to back birdies at the second and third holes. He extended his gain to six, when he made another birdie at the 8th hole. Even though he was set back by bogeys at 11 and 16, two other birdies on the stretch meant that he added 8 to his score and take a comfortable lead into the final two rounds.
Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open, took a huge cut at the par-5 13th hole to gain five valuable points with an eagle to set himself on course for an assault at the lead. The Aussie was building on a gainful first round when he made eight birdies (worth 16 points) and is lying three back from Watney, poised for an intriguing weekend of golf.
Modified Stableford scoring: Double-Eagle = 8 pts • Eagle = 5 pts • Birdie = 2 pts • Par = 0 pts • Bogey = -1 pt • 2+ Bogeys = -3 pts
Report by Anand Datla
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