Ben Martin Leads Barracuda Championship After First Round

Ben Martin leads the Barracuda Championship after the first round with 16 points, holding a two-point advantage over David Lipsky and Nick Watney in the only PGA Tour event using the modified Stableford scoring system. The system awards points for double eagles, eagles, and birdies, while deducting points for bogeys and double bogeys. Martin rebounded from early bogeys with birdies and credited his putting for his strong performance at the high-elevation Tahoe Mountain Club. Played opposite The Open and co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, the tournament grants the winner entry to the PGA Championship, but not the Masters. Lipsky had a promising start but lost ground after a wayward shot, while Watney, a five-time PGA Tour winner, is also in contention. Other notable performances include Cameron Champ three points back and defending champion Nick Dunlap struggling in the opening round.