Truckee, California, USA – American golfer Ryan Gerard, aged 25, secured his maiden US PGA Tour title on Sunday, July 20, 2025, by holding off South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen down the back nine at the Barracuda Championship. Gerard clinched the victory with a final score of 47 points under the Modified Stableford scoring system at Tahoe Mountain Club in Truckee, California.
A Breakthrough Performance with Eagles
Gerard, whose previous best career finish on the tour was a runner-up effort at this year’s Texas Open, showcased aggressive play throughout the final round, highlighted by two crucial eagles. He added 13 points to his tally on Sunday, combining his eagles with four birdies and navigating five bogeys.
The Barracuda Championship, unique on the PGA Tour schedule for its Modified Stableford scoring format, awards points based on performance relative to par:
- Albatross: 8 points
- Eagle: 5 points
- Birdie: 2 points
- Par: 0 points
- Bogey: -1 point
- Double Bogey or worse: -3 points
Holding Off a Veteran Challenger
Gerard, who had shared the 54-hole lead with Filipino standout Rico Hoey on 34 points, made an emphatic start to his final round. While Hoey stumbled with a double bogey-bogey start, Gerard birdied the second hole and eagled the third, quickly establishing a lead. Despite consecutive bogeys at the fourth and fifth, he responded with a birdie at the seventh, reaching 41 points and putting a seven-point gap between himself and the nearest challenger on the course, Erik van Rooyen.
Van Rooyen, the 2021 Barracuda champion, put pressure on Gerard on the back nine. After both players birdied the 10th, Van Rooyen chipped in for birdie at the 11th. However, Gerard swiftly countered at the 11th by curling in a long eagle putt after getting relief from a sprinkler head, extending his lead to 48 points, ten clear of Van Rooyen.
Though Gerard faced bogeys at the 12th and 13th, he steadied himself with a birdie at the 14th. Van Rooyen continued his charge with an eagle on the par-five 15th, narrowing Gerard’s lead to six points. A three-putt bogey by Gerard at the par-three 16th further cut his advantage to 47-42. Van Rooyen then sank a birdie from the fringe at the 18th to close to 47-44. However, Gerard calmly tapped in for par at the 18th, securing his first PGA Tour victory.
The Barracuda Championship was played opposite the British Open, where top-ranked Scottie Scheffler won his fourth career major title and second major crown of the year. For Ryan Gerard, this victory marks a significant milestone in his young career.
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