RENO - Former University of Nevada golfers have fared well at the first two days of the 7th annual Reno-Tahoe Open at Montreux Golf & Country Club.
Rich Barcelo, Charlie Wi and Michael Allen all made the cut, and all three are at even par or better.
Barcelo made a huge jump Friday, moving from 95th place to a tie for 24th after a second-round 65. He's at 4-under 140 along with Matt Kuchar, Hidemichi Tanaka, Ben Curtis and Brenden Pappas.
Allen has played consistent golf over the first 36 holes. He opened with a 2-under-par 70 and came back with a 1-under-par 70 for 141. Wi opened with a 74, but bounced back with a 2-under 70 and just made the cut.
STREAK GOES ON
Duffy Waldorf, Brian Gay and J.P. Hayes made the cut for the seventh straight year at the RTO, the only players to do that in tournament history.
Hayes, who shot a 1-under 71 on Thursday, followed with a 6-under-par 66 on Friday for a 36-hole total of 137. Waldorf also is at 137 after rounds of 70 and 67. Brian Gay is at 1-under 143 which is right on the cut line.
COURSE RECAP
There were 37 rounds below 70, 74 under par and 87 at par and below on Friday. There were 42 over-par rounds.
The hardest hole on Friday was the par-3 16th which played to a a 3.308 average. It yielded 27 birdies, 154 pars and 79 over-par scores.
The easiest hole was No. 4, the 518-yard par-5. It played to a 4.688 average, yielding 106 birdies, 119 pars and 30 over-par scores.
WITHDRAWALS
Four more golfers have withdrawn from the tournament.
Jonathan Byrd, Franklin Langham, Jeff Hart and Mike Springer all pulled out. Langham, who shot a 2-over 74 on Thursday, injured his back before his round started. Hart, who shot an opening 79, gave no reason for his departure. Springer, who shot a 1-under 71, played two holes before retiring. Byrd shot an even-par 72.
BUYING THE DRINKS
New Zealand's Michael Long aced the 184-yard par-3 12th with an 8-iron. It was the first ace of the tournament by a pro player, and second of the week. It was only the second ace in tournament history.
Tom Aleo, who played in Wednesday's Pro-Am, aced the 178-yard par-3 7th with a 6-iron.
WEATHER FORECAST
The weather forecast for the weekend is extremely good.
Today's forecast calls for a high of 85 degrees with winds reaching 20 mph in the afternoon. On Sunday, the high is expected to be 86 with winds reaching 20 mph in the afternoon.
FAST START MEANS ZIP
Never has a first-round leader at the RTO won the event, a fact Vaughn Taylor hopes to change this year.
In 1999, Langham shot a 65 and went on to finish in a tie for 43rd. In 2000, Reno's Scott McCarron and Peter Jacobsen shared the first-round lead with a 66. McCarron went on to a fourth-place tie and Jacobsen tied for 36. In 2001, Brian Watts shot a first-round 64 and ended up tied for 19th. In 2002, Charles Howell III started with a 65 and finished tied for third. J.J. Henry and Carl Paulson shared the first-round lead in 2003 with 66s. Henry went on to a 16th-place tie and Paulson tied for 39th. Last year, Roland Thatcher shot a first-round 66 and ended up fifth.
FACTS AND FIGURES
The high round of the day belonged to PGA Tour veteran Paul Azinger, who shot an 81, including a nine on the par-4 13th. He finished at 6-over 150 ... The most surprising player not to make the cut was Jerry Kelly, who finished at 2-over 146 after a 74 and 72 ... Besides Glasson's 10-shot turnaround, the biggest one round turnaround belonged to D.A. Points, who went from a 79 to a 63 ... Seventy-two players made the cut, and even par was the cut point ... The course played easier Friday, 71.226 compared to 72.773.
Darrell Moody can be reached at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com, or by calling (775) 881-1281