Overnight leader Vaughn Taylor has just teed off in the Reno-Tahoe Open, but he finds himself four shots back of current leader Scott Piercy, who just set the course record in Round 3 with an 11-under 61.

Piercy made a six-foot putt for eagle on the 616-yard closing par-5 to best the previous course record of 62, which had been shot three times (Bill Glasson, 2005; Joe Ogilvie 2006; Parker McLachlin, 2008).

Piercy birdied Nos. 2 though 9 at Montreux, and after birdies at Nos. 14 and 15, the 59 watch was on for the third-year PGA TOUR player. His lone bogey came at No. 17, a 464-yard par-4, effectively ending the threat.

Other big movers in Round 3 include TOUR rookie Jim Renner, who shot a 7-under 65 and is currently in third place. James Driscoll also went low with a 66 to move to 7 under.

There’s getting on a roll, and then there’s doing what Scott Piercy did on Montreux’s front nine at the Reno-Tahoe Open.

Piercy

The two-time Nationwide Tour winner ranks 90th on the PGA TOUR in birdie average this year, but is sure to climb the list after this week. More importantly, a good finish could help him improve from No. 137 in the FedExCup standings.

Last year, Piercy finished the Regular Season No. 125 in the standings -- the last man into the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. He missed the cut at the Barclays, however. In 2009 he also qualified for the Playoffs, finishing 83rd in the regular season, but again failed to advance past the first round.

If Piercy were to win in Reno this week, he could potentially move to as high as 76th in the standings.

The top 100 players after The Barclays advance to the Deutsche Bank Championship. The top 70 players in the standings will move on to the BMW Championship, the last event before THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola, which is open to the top 30 players in the standings.

By Zak Kozuchowski, PGATOUR.COM

Every year, Augusta National honors past Masters champions with the Champions Dinner. This year, the Reno-Tahoe Open is having a collection of past tournament champions of its own -- except it’s on top of the leaderboard.

Vaughn Taylor, winner of the event in 2004 and 2005, leads the field at 9 under. He’s shot rounds of 69-66, and is one shot ahead of 2006 champion Will MacKenzie.

“Obviously the course has to fit your eye, and then the altitude is definitely an adjustment.” Taylor said. “I think anywhere you play well when you come back, especially if you win, you come back and a lot of good memories and feelings, and, you know, it can turn things around for you.”

Champions Steve Flesch (2007), Chris Riley (2002) and Notah Begay (1999) are also all inside the top 6 on the leaderboard.

MacKenzie said it’s the idiosyncrasies of Montreux Golf & Country Club that have allowed past champions to do well this year.

“Like, this putt is just historically fast or this putt don't go away from Mount Rose quite as much or this putt does go away from Mount Rose harder than you think,” he said. “And just trusting yardages. Trusting you're hitting 7-iron downhill on No. 9 - or 18 now rather -- from 230. That's the actual yardage.”

Vaughn Taylor is always happy to be back in Reno. The two-time Reno-Tahoe Open champion (2004, ‘05) is off to another good start at Montreux Golf and Country Club, sitting at 4 under through 14 holes in a bogey-free round so far.

The pace is being set at 5 under right now, with Nick O’Hern, Chris Riley and Dean Wilson at that mark. Wilson, in particular, could use a good week to solidify his date with the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. He’s 123rd in points.

If you’re wondering about the cutoff man at No. 125, that’s Australian Matt Jones. He’s 1 over through 10 holes in Reno.

Rogash/Getty Images

Vaughn Taylor shot 65-66 Friday at TPC River Highlands.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

CROMWELL, Conn. -- The last five weeks haven’t worked out that well for Vaughn Taylor, who has missed the cut in five of his last six starts. That streak will obviously come to an end after Taylor shot a second-round 66 to enter the weekend at 9 under.

The difference for Taylor? Some putting sessions with his coach Pat O’Brien, which is something Taylor said he needed after depositing his old putter into the water at Bay Hill earlier this year. Taylor said he left the putter in the pond at the 13th hole there and is using a different model of that SeeMore putter this week.

Through two rounds Taylor is averaging 27 putts, but he has missed just two from inside 10 feet all week.

He also was able to build on a good opening round -- a 65 -- after going right back out for his second 18 Friday afternoon. Playing 36 back-to-back was something Taylor was more than happy to do.

"It's tough to play a few holes and then head home and then come back later on,” Taylor said. “It's nice just to get out there in one day and get into a rhythm and just play till your legs fall off.”

Of course with TPC River Highlands yielding a lot of low numbers, it’s easy to understand why Taylor wanted to keep going.

“The course is playing about as easy as I've ever seen it,” he said. “The conditions are perfect out there, soft greens. Definitely can make some putts out there. Just looking forward to the weekend.”

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

CROMWELL, Conn. -- After finishing as the low amateur at the U.S. Open, where he tied for 21st, Patrick Cantlay is tied for the lead at the moment with Vaughn Taylor at 8 under.

Cantlay, who just completed his freshman year at UCLA, has said that he has no plans to turn pro before he gets his degree but if he keeps playing like this you have to wonder if he’ll be able to resist temptation.

The 19-year-old just made the turn in 30 at TPC River Highlands, where he birdied four of his final five holes on the front nine. Even though they’re playing lift, clean and place, his accuracy has been impressive with 23 of 27 greens in regulation -- third best in the field. He’s also putted well with 43 putts through 27 holes.

The leaderboard remains crowded, however, with four players just one shot back and 10 more players two back. The current cut is 2 under, which means just six shots separate the cut and the lead.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

CROMWELL, Conn. -- The second round is in full swing -- though the “afternoon” wave won’t tee off for another 90 minutes -- and the leaderboard is crowded with three players -- Webb Simpson, Vaughn Taylor and Brandt Jobe -- tied for the lead at 7 under.

Jobe has very quietly had a nice season with three top-10s, including a runner-up finish at the Memorial tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance two weeks ago.

Simpson’s season has been even better. He has four top-10s, including a pair of runner-up finishes in Tampa and New Orleans, where he lost in a playoff.

Taylor? He’s struggled with four missed cuts in his last five starts. He has just two top-25s all season.,

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

CROMWELL, Conn. -- Some players in the field had their opening round interrupted by Thursday’s weather and were forced to resume play today. Others, like Vaughn Taylor, never even teed off until Friday.

“Well, I’m rested up,” Taylor said after a first-round 65 Friday.

Taylor didn’t have much time to reminisce about it -- after finishing he went back out about 40 minutes later for his 1:05 p.m. tee time in the second round. Not that a quick turnaround is necessarily a bad thing when you’re playing well.

“You just kind of keep going and hopefully the momentum throughout the day,” he said.

Well, through his first eight holes in the second round Taylor has just one birdie and one bogey. Still, he’s near the lead, now held by Brandt Jobe at 7 under after first-round leader Jim Renner bogeyed his first hole to drop to 6 under.

Greenwood/Getty Images

Bubba Watson is seeking his second win of the season this week in Louisiana.

Bubba Watson: The PGA TOUR’s resident long bomber eagles the 575-yard par-5 11th. Click here

John Rollins: One way to make birdie on the par-4 12th? Chip in from 27 feet. Click here

Vaughn Taylor: Taylor sticks his approach shot on the par-5 18th to set up an easy birdie. Click here

Carl Pettersson has joined Vaughn Taylor and Joe Durant at the top of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans leaderboard.

Pettersson and Taylor have each completed 11 holes this afternoon; the former starting on the front and the latter on the back nine. Neither has made a bogey at TPC Louisiana.

Durant is safely in the clubhouse.

John Rollins and Bubba Watson are also making moves this afternoon. Both are 4 under, Rollins through 12 holes and Watson through 10.