What to watch in Round 2: Will Royal Troon get any easier? Can Daniel Brown keep it up?

As the PGA TOUR season nears its conclusion, the annual pressure cooker is plugged in and turned on high. Everything from qualifying for the FedExCup Playoffs to return trips to qualifying school for Web.com Tour status will be determined this month, so those who have chosen this career path might as well mix it up every now and then. Just as variety is the spice of life, the Barracuda Championship is the TOUR’s version of a road less traveled; well, at least as it concerns measuring strokes taken. For the sixth consecutive edition, the Modified Stableford scoring system will be utilized. The points-based system that promotes aggressive play has yielded winning totals of at least 43 points at Montrêux Golf and Country Club in Reno, Nevada, in each. More on the scoring, the course and the weather beneath the ranking. Salvaged his season with a pair of top 10s in July, including a T6 at Grand National. Sat T2 here last year before fading to a T7. Placed T6 in only prior visit in 2011. A good bet to extend sizzling form (10th, Barbasol; T5, Canadian) as he’s 7-for-7 at Montrêux with three top 15s since 2009. Eight on TOUR in greens in regulation. Since a T3 at the Valero, he’s 10-for-11 with six top 20s. Montrêux feeds right into his distance and aggressive style. Placed T42 in only prior trip in 2014. Fifth on TOUR in fairways hit and first in proximity. At 63rd in FedExCup points, he could rest, but he continues to percolate. Riding a 9-for-10 run with three top 25s. Lost in a playoff here in 2015 after recording tournament-record 22 points in the final round. Returned for a T9 last year. Two of last three top 20s occurred in additional events. Five straight cuts made. Fresh off a career-best T5 in Canada where he locked up his card. Should now have a blast, literally, at altitude. Ranks T8 on TOUR in par-5 scoring. Chasing a third consecutive top 25 after going six starts without a top 35. Perfect in three trips with a T7 in 2013. With his card sewn up, he’s free to pile on. Surging at the perfect time. Ended an 0-for-7 drought with a 4-for-4 with three top 25s. T7 here in 2013 the first of three consecutive cuts made at Montrêux through 2016. Inching toward his first career Playoffs appearance at 136th in points. Two top 25s in last three starts; career-best six on the season. Tied for ninth here last year. T25-T18-T10 in last three weeks and 8-for-9 since May, all entirely wedged into 126-150 range in FedExCup points. Currently 126th. T11 in par-5 scoring, T13 in scrambling. POWER RANKINGS: Barracuda Championship RANK PLAYER COMMENT Montrêux G&CC is a par 72 with four par 5s. It measures 7,472 yards, but it can’t play that long due to its perch a mile above sea level. It also features almost 500 feet in elevation change across the layout. Winners since 2012 have included bomber Gary Woodland (2013) to defending champion Greg Chalmers, whose reputation is as a phenomenal putter. The gist is that the course doesn’t discriminate despite its length. The field of 132 can very much drive for show and putt for dough. Greens average 6,000 square feet and will run upwards of 12 feet on the Stimpmeter. Hot, breezy conditions are typical at this time of year and they will be again this week. After potentially touching triple digits on Thursday, a leveling toward the norm in the lower 90s will occur. The chance for rain is virtually nonexistent. Just as the first three additional events of the season rewarded their champions with 300 FedExCup points, this week’s winner will bank the same, but it may valuable to hit the ground running with the mindset that he’ll prevail after 54 holes. See, every 54-hole leader since 2011 has gone on to win the tournament. Chalmers slept on a six-point lead last year and won by the same margin thank to a walk-off eagle worth five points. The champ will also be fully exempt on the PGA TOUR through 2018-2019 and will receive exemptions into next week’s PGA Championship, the SBS Tournament of Champions and THE PLAYERS among other invitationals. ROB BOLTON’S WRITING SCHEDULE PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Columnist Rob Bolton will be filing his usual staples leading up to this week’s event. Look for the following columns this week. MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings (WGC-Bridgestone) TUESDAY*: Power Rankings (Barracuda), Sleepers (WGC-Bridgestone), The Confidence Factor (WGC-Bridgestone), Fantasy Insider WEDNESDAY: One & Done (WGC-Bridgestone), One & Done (Barracuda) THURSDAY: Ownership Percentages in PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf and One & Done presented by SERVPRO * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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AKRON, Ohio – It was just like old times as Tiger Woods put himself into contention at the World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational. Woods looked every bit an eight-time winner at Firestone Country Club’s South Course as he managed to post a solid 4-under 66 in the opening round despite not having his best stuff. His experience was a key factor as the 79-time PGA TOUR winner ground out a workable score at the same time he blew off some rust. Following The Open Championship, Woods took some family vacation time and didn’t pick up a club until yesterday’s nine-hole practice round. “It’s nice to put together rounds where I may not feel the best but I’m able to post a score.  That’s how you win golf tournaments,â€� Woods said after his five birdie, one bogey effort. “You’re not going to have your best all four days and it’s a matter of that bad day being two, three under par instead of being two, three over par.â€� At the time he signed his card Woods sat just three shots back of Kyle Stanley’s clubhouse lead (63). This was despite hitting just half his fairways and 13 of 18 greens. The good news for Woods – only twice in his eight victories did he open with a better round than 66. Like he said on Wednesday … he’s trending. Playing partner Jason Day, who bested Woods by a shot with a bogey-free 65, can see it’s only a matter of time before the 14-time major champion puts it all together. He noted Woods was grinding like the Tiger of old over every putt and was determined as ever. “He’s not too far away from going on a pretty big tear here,â€� Day said. “We just hopefully stay out in front of him. He’s hitting his irons really nicely. If he straightens that driver a little bit, give himself a few more opportunities … “You can see how well he’s moving. He’s got a lot of speed. It’s not like he’s limping around like he was when he played a couple years ago. “When you have speed and when everything’s balanced in his life and he can focus on golf … obviously he’s close to tearing it up. “More so than ever, we have to work harder and try and better our skills. He’s out there and he’s focused.â€� With enormous support from the galleries Woods was hopeful of making his presence felt one last time at Firestone and then beyond. He is shaping up to play five of the next six weeks as he looks to claim a third FedExCup title. “I’ve had so many great memories here. Hopefully, I can have one more,â€� Woods, who ranks 47th in the current FedExCup standings, added. “I’m back to the grind here with a lot of tournament golf coming up. And they’re all big events, they’re all either World Golf Championships, majors or Playoffs. “They’re a big deal on the back end, and hopefully I’ll be playing in Paris as well.â€�

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