Richy Werenski should be somewhat rested as he tries to defend his title in the Barracuda Championship this week.
If you can be rested while trying to move into a new house.
Werenski picked up his first, and only, win on the PGA Tour last summer at Old Greenwood near Truckee.
He is part of the 132-player field set to return to the golf course for the four-day tournament.
“It was nice to finally have that breakthrough,” Werenski said of his win last year.
The Barracuda uses the Modified Stableford scoring system in which golfers earn points for being aggressive on the course. A double eagle is worth 8 points, an eagle is 5 points and a birdie is 2 points. Par is 0 points.
Last year, in his 100th PGA Tour start, Werenski got a birdie on the final hole to win by 1 point over Troy Merritt. Werenski finished with 39 points.
Richy Werenski holds the championship trophy for the Barracuda Championship golf tournament at Old Greenwood. Photo by Andrew Wevers/USA TODAY Sports
Werenski is the fifth consecutive winner to earn their first PGA Tour victory at the Modified Stableford format event.
More: Barracuda Championship will have spectators, here’s how to get tickets
No spectators were allowed last year, but limited fans will be allowed this week at Old Greenwood, a Tahoe Mountain Club golf course.
Werenski said it was strange last year with no spectators and added that he feeds off the fans’ energy.
“You get that hopped-up feeling when the crowd gets going. I love it so I’m excited we’re going to have fans this year,” said Werenski, 29.
He said the goal is to be aggressive with the scoring system, but still try be in control.
“You’ve still got to hit the shots and make the putts,” he said. “You can play aggressive, but if you’re not playing well it’s not going to be a good outcome.”
Werenski said being the defending champion might help him as he plays better under pressure.
His best finish this year was third at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April. He has played 28 events, made the cut in 14 is 114th in the FedEx Cup standings. He missed the cut in his past three events.
Most of the top 72 golfers in the FedEx rankings will be golfing at the WGC St. Jude Invitational in Memphis this week. Many golfers took the past week off and 60 are competing in the Tokyo Olympics.
Werenski is in the process of moving into a new house in Aiken, South Carolina, which sits just across the state line from Augusta, Georgia.
“I like playing tournaments in a row because you can get in a little bit of a groove, but I think it’s going to be really nice. We’ve got a lot going on. It will be good to see my wife, see my dog,” he said. “I’m excited to recharge the batteries a little bit and then off to Reno.”
This year’s field includes exemptions for John Pak, one of the most accomplished golfers in Florida State history and winner of the Jack Nicklaus Award, the Haskins Award and the Ben Hogan Award.
Davis Thompson, a former no. 1-ranked amateur, Walker Cupper and SEC Player of the Year is also in the field as is Matt Marshall, who won the 2021 Reno Open hosted at Toiyabe Golf Club.
TV: The Golf Channel will broadcast the Barracuda Championship on Aug. 5-6 from 1-3 p.m. and Aug. 7-8 from 3-6 p.m.