British Open first alternate Alex Noren in contention at Barracuda

TRUCKEE, Calif. — Chez Reavie continues to tear up the golf program, and Alex Noren has some additional incentive this week.

Reavie qualified prospects the PGA Tour’s Barracuda Championship with in addition-37 details at the Tahoe Mountain Club’s Old Greenwood program, exactly where they are employing the Modified Stableford scoring procedure.

Martin Laird is up coming with furthermore-31 and Noren is tied with Cam Davis, the two at moreover-28 factors.

But Noren was oh-so-near to actively playing in the year’s last men’s key, the British Open at St. Andrews.

Noren had been the first alternate for the British Open up, but decided to fly to California to perform in the Barracuda as a substitute.

“I didn’t assume anybody would withdraw,” Noren mentioned Friday. “They actually did, and sad for them, but also I required to enjoy this.”

When Justin Rose withdrew from the Open, that opened a spot that would have gone to Noren. Rather that location went to Rikuya Hoshino. Erik van Rooyen, who received the Barracuda in 2021 to make a place in the 2022 Open up Championship, also withdrew in advance of the Open started out.

“I needed to get some additional points. I’ve acquired 3 months of coaching soon after this in advance of the [FexEx Cup] playoffs, and I wished to play this 7 days, and it’s possible that frame of mind built me have a little considerably less tolerance that I needed this time. Golfing is a extensive vocation, and I have performed a large amount of British Opens, and I’ll get to engage in it once again.”

Noren attempted to forget about about what may have been and only went to get the job done at Previous Greenwood, posting a rating of moreover-28 details via three rounds.

He admits it’s tricky to escape the British Open, for the reason that it’s on TVs in all places he goes all over Truckee.

He claimed getting contention in the Barracuda, rather eases the agony of missing The Open.

“Every time they display ‘The Open’ on Tv, I get disappointed, but I adore coming below. I believe it’s a person of the finest programs on the Tour and a excellent match. It is extremely pleasurable to participate in,” Noren explained.

Noren, 40, is rated No. 66 in the globe, No. 75 in the FedEx Cup rankings.

Reavie, meanwhile, experienced his initial bogey of the Barracuda on No. 15 on Saturday, this just after he had five birdies in the 3rd spherical. He explained he expects to come to feel some nervousness on Sunday, although he waits for his afternoon tee time.

“I have to shell out an hour or two at home just calming myself down for the reason that I’m so seeking ahead to coming out below and competing,” Reavie mentioned. “I can arrive out here and consider much too difficult if I get way too energized.”

Reavie, who played golf at Arizona Condition, is one particular of only two PGA Tour golfers from that school who have not defected to the LIV Tour, together with John Rahm. Fellow former ASU golfers Phil Mickelson, Paul Casey, Pat Perez and Matt Jones have all jumped to the LIV.

Massive leap

Michael Thompson had nine birdies, and nine pars, and totaled 18 details on Saturday. He has additionally-26 details heading into Sunday’s ultimate spherical.

Joshua Creel had two eagles on Saturday, on holes No. 8 and 16 and picked up 11 details on the working day. He has plus -26 details via 3 rounds.

Harry Higgs also attained 11 factors on Saturday, thanks to a few birdies and an eagle. He is at in addition-26 details heading into Sunday. Higgs reported he is superior off if he can stay clear of chipping.

“I’ve strike a ton of superior iron photographs and holed some variety of bonus putts. The first day I just strike a couple of balls just into a place the place I had to chip out,” Higgs explained. “But this structure is variety of exciting. You can variety of get absent with that.”

He enjoys the experience of smashing the ball on his tee pictures and seeing it fly farther than it does at most golfing courses he performs at.

“It’s fun when it gets in the fairways, far too you can hit a extended, prolonged way out right here, bouncing and rolling and flying a minimal further more with the altitude,” Higgs explained.

Higgs stated he has not played properly this year and is worrying also significantly about the small points likely improper.

“I’ve just not been sharp, not been playing good golfing, not been form of actively playing like myself,” he mentioned. “My mindset has been awful. I have been pissing and moaning about minimal matters that go completely wrong and then that builds and builds and builds. Been playing on the cut line way as well much all yr. I see myself as significantly, considerably improved than that. But obviously there will come a time exactly where talk is low-priced and you’re now going to have to exhibit it, more so to myself.”

Scoring

The Barracuda Championship is utilizing the Modified Stableford scoring structure, the initially PGA Tour function to use the structure given that The Worldwide in 2006. Players are allotted points dependent on the range of strokes taken at just about every hole with the purpose of attaining the highest overall score.

Albatross +8, Eagle +5, Birdie +2, Par , Bogey -1, Double bogey or even worse -3.