Darrell Moody: Golfers again ready to take on Barracuda


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The 19th annual Barracuda Championship comes to Montreux Golf & Country Club for its annual run from July 31-Aug. 6.

Greg Chalmers, who won his first PGA Tour title last year after more than 370 career starts, is the defending champion.

Chalmers is seeking to become the second player in tournament history to win the event in back-to-back years. Vaughn Taylor won in 2004 and 2005.

The other two-time winner of the event is J.J. Henry, who triumphed in 2012 and again in 2015.

Of the past winners, the defending champ hasn’t returned the next year 10 times — Notah Begay III (1999 winner), Scott Verplank (2000 winner), John Cook (2001 winner), Chris Riley (2002 winner), Kirk Triplett (2003 winner), Taylor (2005 winner), Steve Flesch (2007 winner), Scott Piercy (2011 winner), Gary Woodland (2013 winner) and Matt Bettencourt (2010 winner). Bettencourt withdrew prior to the 2011 tourney.

The Barracuda, an alternate event, has been the first win for many players, including Chalmers, Parker McLachlan (2008), Piercy, Bettencourt, MacKenzie, Taylor and Riley.

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Can I just say I’m tired of the drama surrounding the Cleveland Cavaliers? It has turned into a petulant fight between two adults acting like they’re 13-years-old.

Kyrie Irving and Lebron James need to sit down and hash it out face to face. I’m so tired of the social media BS that goes on these days. Are people afraid to sit across from one another and talk?

The main issue as I see it, is Lebron’s reluctance to let the Cavaliers know whether he’s going or staying. His contract is up after next season.

James is the key to everything that has happened or will happen to the franchise. I’m sure it’s why Chauncey Billups turned down the GM job, and I’m assuming it has something to do with Irving asking for a trade.

I think James is being selfish. He has a no-trade clause, so he holds all the cards. His decisions will have a domino effect around the NBA. He doesn’t have to let anybody know where he’s going, just that he’s leaving the Cavs when his contract is up.

Whether Irving wants to believe it or not, the Cavs were horrible in his first couple of years when he was the marquee player. It wasn’t until Lebron and Kevin Love got to Cleveland that things changed. Lebron made Irving better, and the young guard should realize that.

Irving is good, but he’s not dominant enough to carry a team like Lebron can. If he wants to be “the man” he should stay in Cleveland. Steph Curry couldn’t do what he does without guys like Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and now Kevin Durant to take pressure off.

If Irving wants to leave because Lebron is leaving, I can buy that. Irving, like many other stars, wants to be on a winning team, and once Lebron leaves, the Cavaliers will be in rebuilding mode. Can you say 30-52?