Software engineer qualifies for Barracuda Championship

Software engineer Beau Forest tries to preserve his PTO. This week marks a fitting exception.

Forest will make his PGA TOUR debut at this week's Barracuda Championship after carding 6-under 65 at the Monday qualifier. A former walk-on golfer at the University of the Pacific, Forest works full-time for Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprises company, while also chasing his golf dreams. He has attempted several Monday qualifiers, including missing by a stroke at last year's Napa Valley Golf Championship qualifier, but he had yet to qualify for a TOUR event. That changed this week in the Reno-Tahoe region.

Forest met the media Wednesday at Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood) and shared his story of reaching this point. His work team is supportive of his professional golf career, and although juggling two jobs requires long and unconventional hours, he perseveres through passion.

"Pretty much work 9:00 to 5:00 hours typically, so a lot of times it's going out to the range after work getting as much time as I can, playing a few holes if I can," Forest said Wednesday. "With the nature of my work, it's a little bit variable. Sometimes projects are intense and there's a lot going on. Sometimes it's a little easier.

"My job, my boss especially, has been really understanding and supportive. As long as I get my work done, he allows me some flexibility. This is some of the first PTO I've used this year. Typically I'll work long days during the tournaments to make up the hours I miss so I don't burn through it all, but I figured this would be a good week to use some."

Forest has never played a TOUR-sanctioned event. He played four seasons at the University of the Pacific, graduating in 2020 with a perfect a 4.0 GPA all four years, and he began his role with Aruba in summer 2020. He focuses on "networking equipment and solutions for enterprise companies," he said Wednesday. Forest earned a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in engineering science, per his LinkedIn profile. Now he has engineered the chance to compete against some of the world's best this week at Tahoe Mountain Club.

"It's been quite a journey to get here," Forest said. "It's really a dream come true."

Baron Szeto earned medalist honors at the 18-hole qualifier with a course-record, 8-under 63. The rising Cal Poly senior made a hole-out eagle from 126 yards on the first hole and carded eight more birdies, the day's low score by two despite a double bogey on the par-5 14th. Forest secured the second qualifying spot with a 6-under 65; he recovered from a double bogey on the par-4 fourth, circling seven birdies and an eagle. The final two spots were determined by a 5-for-2 playoff seeing Corey Pereira and Sangmoon Bae prevail over Sterling Hurd, Alex Ching and Alex Welch.

Click here for all scores from Monday's qualifier.

Here's a capsule look at the four Barracuda Championship qualifiers:

Baron Szeto (8-under 63)

Hometown: Moraga, California
College: Cal Poly, rising senior
PGA TOUR starts: 0

Notes: Will make his PGA TOUR debut just three hours from his hometown ... Majoring in business administration ... San Francisco-area native is left-handed but plays golf right-handed ... Averaged 72.9 as a college junior in 2023-24 ... Finished fourth at the Big West Men's Championship in April and carried the momentum to Monday's qualifier.

Beau Forest (6-under 65)

Age: 26
Hometown: Redding, California
Alma mater: University of the Pacific
PGA TOUR starts: 0

Notes: Will make his PGA TOUR debut less than four hours from his hometown ... Works as a software engineer for Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company ... Also played high school basketball, leading his team (University Prep) to a league title as a senior; also led his team in scoring that year ... Earned the University of the Pacific's Four Pillars Award as a redshirt senior in 2020; maintained a 4.0 GPA all four years of college.

Corey Pereira (5-under 66, advanced via playoff)

Age: 29
Hometown: Cameron Park, California
Alma mater: University of Washington
PGA TOUR starts: 2
Cuts made: 0

Notes: Has made 39 career Korn Ferry Tour starts, highlighted by a T6 at the 2022 Lake Charles Championship ... Has made 30 PGA TOUR Canada starts, highlighted by a win at the 2018 ATB Financial Classic ... Has bowled a 300 game ... Claims to be good at almost any bar sport or game.

Sangmoon Bae (5-under 66, advanced via playoff)

Age: 38
Hometown: Daegu, South Korea
Alma mater: Sungkyunkwan University
PGA TOUR starts: 187
Cuts made: 92
Best PGA TOUR finish: Win (2013 THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson, 2014 Napa Valley Golf Championship)

Notes: Has made three TOUR starts this season, highlighted by a T61 at the Puerto Rico Open ... Following the 2015 Presidents Cup, served as a rifleman in the South Korean army as part of a mandatory two-year military commitment. Returned to the PGA TOUR at the 2017 Napa Valley Golf Championship, site of his second PGA TOUR win ... In addition to two TOUR titles, has won nine times on the Korean Tour, three times on the Japan Golf Tour, three times on the Asian Tour, twice on the OneAsia Tour and once on the Korn Ferry Tour.