Eagle at 18 earns Schniederjans Barracuda lead

Ollie Schniederjans leads the Barracuda Championship by three points ahead of Aaron Baddeley and Denny McCarthy after the opening round in Nevada on Thursday.

American Schniederjans sunk six birdies and eagled the par-five 18th to notch 17 points in the PGA Tour's Modified Stableford event at Montreux Golf and Country Club near Reno.

Australian Baddeley and Schniederjans' countryman McCarthy are three points back on 14, as the cream of the PGA Tour contest the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

Baddeley, whose compatriots Greg Chalmers and Geoff Ogilvy won this event in 2016 and 2014 respectively, made a strong start with six birdies in his first nine holes to go out in 30, and made two more birdies on the back nine, but also dropped two shots at 12 and 14.

Robert Streb is outright fourth with 13 points, while Ryan Palmer holds a share of fifth on 12 points.

The defending champion, American Chris Stroud, is tied 33rd on seven points, four birdies and a lone bogey having seen him post 69.