Tony Finau and Gerina Piller took the early leads in the men’s and women’s divisions today at the inaugural Big Break Invitational Reynolds Lake Oconee, featuring a field of 40 past Big Break competitors going head-to-head in full tournament conditions for the first time in a four-day invitational tournament. The tournament features a Modified Stableford format for the first two rounds, followed by match play (third round), and concludes with stroke play (final round) to determine the Big Break Invitational Reynolds Lake Oconee champion.
Finau, (Big Break Disney Golf), who will compete on the PGA TOUR full time in 2015 after graduating from the Web.com Tour this year, turned in a 5-under par 67 at the Great Waters Course to earn 29 points and take a one-point lead over Mark Murphy (Big Break Ireland Champion), who carded a 3-under par 69 to accumulate 28 points. Derek Gillespie (Big Break Prince Edward Island Champion) and Brent Long (Big Break Mexico) both stand T-3 with 25 points.
In the women’s division, Gerina Piller (Big Break Prince Edward Island), a 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup veteran and currently competing on the LPGA Tour, has a two-point lead with 25 points (2-under par) over fellow LPGA player Ryann O’Toole (Big Break Sandals Resorts) who finished Tuesday’s opening round with 23 points (2-under par). Big Break Florida Champion Jackie Stoelting is currently in third place with 22 points (even-par).
Wednesday’s second round airs live on Golf Channel beginning at 3 p.m. ET. Following the round, the 12 men and 12 women earning the most points will advance to Thursday’s match play.
$300,000 PURSE, WITH $100,000 TO THE WINNER: The four-round tournament features a Modified Stableford format for the first two rounds, followed by match play (third round), and concludes with stroke play (final round) to determine the Big Break Invitational Reynolds Lake Oconee Champion. The 12 players (six men and six women) who advance to Friday’s final round will be in the money. The low eight players from Friday’s final round also will earn an automatic invitation to the 2015 Big Break Invitational Reynolds Lake Oconee.
Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, September 30 and Wednesday, October 1
Modified Stableford format: Players earning points for par and higher, and negative points for double bogey and lower). The 12 men and 12 women earning the most points after two rounds will make the cut.
Thursday, October 2
Match play: Six men vs. six men / six women vs six women. The 12 match-play winners advance to Friday’s final round.
Friday, October 3
Stroke play: 12 match play winners from Thursday to compete in 18-holes of stroke play. Players will compete for a $300,000 purse, with $100,000 going to the champion.
