John Mallinger has never played golf using the Modified Stableford scoring system.

“I'm actually having a tough time keeping up with the points,” he said.

So far, much of the field is having trouble keeping up with him.

Mallinger racked up 11 points for the second straight day after six birdies and just one bogey Friday at the Reno-Tahoe Open, where he had a share of the early lead with J.J. Henry.

“I’ve just been trying to just play golf,” Mallinger said. “I think it's been helping me just focus on what I'm doing and not the result.”

The result has been pretty good. Mallinger is in the top 10 in putting this week and has 10 birdies and an eagle to show for it through the first two rounds.

”I think it's a great format,” Mallinger said. “[Thursday] I holed out on my second-to-last last hole. Think I was in like 38th place, and went I went to fifth with an eagle. I think it's a great opportunity. No one is really ever out of this tournament even coming down the last two or three holes.”

After missing six of his first seven cuts this season, J.J. Henry seems to have found his rhythm the second half of the year -- especially in his last three starts with a tie for 13th, tie for 21st and a tie for 37th.

Friday, he continued that trend with five birdies and an eagle on his way to a dozen points in the second round of the Reno-Tahoe Open. Through two round, he has 22 points and has a share of the early lead with John Mallinger at Montreux G&CC, where the Modified Stableford scoring system is being used.

“It's all about controlling the distance out here,” Henry said. “If you control your distances, you're going to have some pretty good spots.

“I think this is a great golf course for this format. I'm so glad the tournament decided to go this route. The fact that you're at altitude and there is a lot of risk/reward, I think it sets up for a lot of excitement both for the players and fans.”

As such, Henry has had to change his approach -- being more aggressive doesn’t necessarily hurt a player since there’s more of a premium on birdies and eagles.

Still, it’s all about posting a number and Henry has been able to do that more often than not, at least lately.

“You're still trying to hit the ball on the fairway and hit a lot of greens and make an occasional birdie,” he said. “That's kind of what I've done the first couple days.”

Andres Romero racked up 14 points Thursday at Montreux G&CC to take the early lead at the Reno-Tahoe Open. Under this week’s Modified Stableford scoring system, a par is worth zero points while birdies are worth two points. Romero’s seven birdies and 11 pars add up to his 14-point total, which was the best in Thursday’s morning wave. Romero is three points clear of Josh Teater and four ahead of Hunter Haas. A strong showing this week could allow the Argentine to secure a spot in the FedExCup Playoffs. Currently 103rd the latest standings, Romero is in position to compete for the FedExCup for the third-consecutive season.

Players at this week’s Reno-Tahoe Open have to adjust to more than the Modified Stableford scoring system -- a change in altitude, for one.

“It’s different for sure,” Josh Teater said. “The ball is carrying 10 percent farther. It’s a little bit of an adjustment.”

One that Teater handled quite well. He made four birdies, an eagle and two bogeys for 11 points to sit near the top of the leaderboard at Montreux G&CC.

Teater has had an up-and-down year but has played well of late with  better -- he finished ninth in Mississippi and tied for fourth in Canada last week.

Others off to a good start early in the round in Reno include Andres Romero, who leads with 14 points.

“The province where I live is surrounded by mountains, so I'm used to playing in that kind of courses,” said the Argentinian.

Hunter Haas is one back of Teater with 10 points, while Todd Hamilton and Chris Kirk both earned nine points.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

This week marks a couple of firsts for Padraig Harrington.

It’s the first time he’s playing in the Reno-Tahoe Open, and it’s the first time he’ll be playing using the Modified Stableford scoring system .

At 62nd in the Official World Golf Ranking, it’s also the first time Harrington has failed to qualify for the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational (also this week).

Harrington hasn’t won on the PGA TOUR since 2008. During that time he hasn’t contended much, either -- though this season he does have as many top 10s as he had all of last year with three.

But that’s not the only reason he is in Nevada. Harington prefers to play the week before a major championship.

“If I was to practice at home I would get all mixed up,” Harrington said Wednesday. “I just wouldn't be competitive for next week if I didn't play this week.”

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, S.C., will play host to the year’s final major, the PGA Championship, next week.

”I want to be competitive,” Harrington said. “When you hit a lot of shots you're breaking down some of your competitive instinct; whereas on the golf course you've got one chance, card in your hand, and you've got to get your mind in the right place.”

Wrapping his head around the Modified Stableford scoring system might be tougher.

Harrington has never played using the format that awards points for birdies and eagles -- and subtracts points for bogeys and double bogeys.

“It's a little bit like changing from stroke play to match play,” Harrington said. “You've got to be that bit more aggressive. The difference between going from, say, a par to a birdie is two points effectively, and the difference between going from par to a bogey is effectively one point. So it's nearly like a shot and a half a shot. Missing birdie putts is a lot worse than missing par putts this week.

“It's an interesting way. Normally they all count the same at the end of the week.”

To get himself in that mindset, Harrington played a couple of nine-hole practice rounds and kept score using the Modified Stableford system.

No matter the system, though, it’s most important to just play, Harrington feels.

“I know it's a little awkward coming three hours time difference from where we're going to play the PGA next week, but saying that I would rather be competitive,” he said. “Reno gives me that opportunity. The key for me is getting my head in the right place, getting my routines right, getting my processes right.”

RENO, Nevada – Padraig Harrington threw out the ceremonial first pitch, while Lee Janzen, Chris DiMarco and Billy Horschel took batting practice prior to Monday’s night Pacific Coast League game between the host Reno Aces and the Sacramento River Cats.

With the PGA TOUR in town for the Reno-Tahoe Open, the Aces – the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks -- brought in Harrington and Janzen, who have combined for five major wins, along with DiMarco, who has multiple appearances for the U.S. on Presidents and Ryder Cup teams, along with one of the TOUR’s rising stars in Horschel.

Check out these photos from Monday ( photos courtesy of the Reno Aces):

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Tee times have been posted for the first round of this week's Reno-Tahoe Open, which gets going on Thursday at Montreux Golf & Country Club in Reno, Nev. Here's a look at some notable groups. Stewart Cink/Brian Gay/Padraig Harrington: This trio has a mixed bag of results of late. Cink has missed three of his past four cuts; Gay is coming off a final-round 66 in Canada that gave him a T28; Harrington, meanwhile, has been hot. He's cashed a check in his previous five events, carding top 15s in the first four tournaments during that stretch. J.B. Holmes/John Daly/Craig Barlow: Two big hitters and a home-state favorite. Holmes (309.5 yards) and Daly (303.5 yards) both rank in the top 15 on TOUR in driving distance. Barlow, who grew up and lives in Henderson, Nev., is making his sixth start of 2012. Barlow had a T25 here last season and had a T5 in 2010. Rocco Mediate/Camilo Villegas/Justin Leonard: This group of players has all experienced an up-and-down season. Mediate is coming off a T42 in his last event at the True South Classic. Villegas was in the mix in Canada after a second-round 64 but faded on the weekend. Leonard has only one top 10 on the year. This will be a big week for Mediate, Villegas and Leonard as far as positioning for a possible spot in the FedExCup Playoffs.

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

Padraig Harrington makes his first appearance this week at the Reno-Tahoe Open. It’s a rare opportunity for golf fans at Montreux Golf and Country Club to follow a three-time major winner.

In fact, we wondered: Just how many three-time (or more) major winners have played the Reno-Tahoe Open?

As it turns out, Harrington is the third such champion to appear in Reno since the inception of the tournament in 1999.

Hopefully, his fate will be better this week than the previous two.

In 2001, Nick Faldo was in the field, five years removed from the last of his six major titles. He withdrew after shooting a 3-over 75 in the first round.

In 2006, Nick Price was in the field, 12 years removed from the last of his three major titles. He withdrew after shooting 71-71-73 in the first three rounds that left him at 1 under.

Several two-time major winners, such as John Daly, Lee Janzen, Mark O’Meara, Fuzzy Zoeller and Jose Maria Olazabal, have made multiple appearances in Reno. But Harrington, who likes playing the week before a major but did not qualify for the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, joins a select group.

MULTIPLE MAJOR WINNERS AT RENO-TAHOE OPEN

Player	Major wins	Reno starts	Years (including this year)
Nick Faldo	6	1	2001
Padraig Harrington	3	1	2012
Nick Price	3	1	2006
John Daly	2	6	1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2011, 2012
Lee Janzen	2	6	2000, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2011, 2012
Mark O’Meara	2	3	2001, 2002, 2005
Jose Maria Olazabal	2	2	2004, 2011
Fuzzy Zoeller	2	2	1999, 2000

The Reno-Tahoe Open begins on Thursday. Who do you think will win? Padraig Harrington, J.B. Holmes and John Daly have all been playing well this year. See who our experts think will play well ... Expert Picks. What do you think? Did our experts get it right? Let us know your picks in the comments section below.