Worldcom Classic - The Heritage of GolfBarranger continues to bounce back to top of his game 04/13/01[an error occurred while processing this directive] <BR><FONT SIZE=5>  Barranger continues to bounce back to top of his game  </FONT><p> <em>  HILTON HEAD ISLAND: Bluffton resident only 3 behind the leader after first round.  </em><BR> <P><font size=2><I>Web posted  <FONT SIZE=2>Friday, April 13, 2001</FONT><BR>  <P></I></font><FONT SIZE=2> </FONT> <P><FONT SIZE=2><B>  By <A HREF=mailto:hooroo20@aol.com>Stephen Weeks</a>  </B><BR>  <I><A HREF=mailto:cmn@lowcountrynow.com>Carolina Morning News</a></I>  <P></FONT> <FONT SIZE =3>  Todd Barranger is in a rut at the Harbour Town Golf Links - but in a good way.<P> The Bluffton resident and 12-year professional golfer carded a 3-under par 68 in the first round of the WorldCom Classic on Thursday, his third 68 in his past three rounds at Harbour Town.<P> Barranger trails first-round leaders Billy Mayfair, Doug Dunakey and Vijay Singh by 3 strokes going into Friday's second round.<P> "It's never pressure when good things are happening - only when the bad things start," said Barranger, who has lived in the Lowcountry for one month more than a year. "It was a real smooth day today. It's great to have the support of all the locals."<P> <TABLE WIDTH=130 BORDER=0 ALIGN=Left VSPACE=5 HSPACE=5 CELLPADDING=5> <TR><TD VALIGN=BOTTOM ALIGN=MIDDLE><A HREF="/images/041301/barranger.jpg"> <MCC PHOTO1> <IMG alt="photo: Worldcom Classic" SRC="/images/041301/barrangerLR.jpg" WIDTH=130 HEIGHT=200 HSPACE=0 VSPACE=6 align=left BORDER=0> </MCC PHOTO> </a><br></TD></TR> <TR><TD CELLPADDING=3 VALIGN=TOP ALIGN=LEFT><center><hr width=60% noshade></center> <font size=2> <MCC CAPTION> Blufton resident Todd Barranger shot a 3-under 68 in the first round of the WorldCom Classic </MCC CAPTION> <center><font size=1><I><MCC CREDIT></MCC CREDIT></I></font><center><hr width=60% noshade></center></TD></TR></TABLE> Barranger is fortunate to be breathing - much less contending for a weekend slot in a PGA Tour tournament - after a struggle with testicular cancer over the past five years. He became ill while playing on the Asian PGA Tour and resumed his playing career after he was cleared in 1996.<P> But it wasn't the same.<P> "We really weren't healthy from 1995 through January of last year," said Barranger, who played a full season on the PGA Tour in 1994 before losing his card. "I was always getting some kind of illness. It was kind of one of those deals where I was fighting everything other than golf - I was fighting against life, not golf."<P> So far this year on the Buy.Com Tour, the 32-year-old Barranger has entered three tournaments and made three cuts. But he would earn more money for four days of work at the Heritage than his combined winnings of $5,000 in those tournaments. His goal this year was to win three times on the Buy.Com Tour and automatically qualify to resume grinding on the PGA Tour.<P> "Every day he is alive now is a gift," said Tracy Barranger, who followed her husband's progress on Thursday and caddied for Todd before giving birth to Todd Jr., five years ago. "I think (his illness) really let him realize every day is a gift and you just can't get upset over everything."<P> The winds of change have blown frequently in the past year for Barranger. He and his family moved to South Carolina, he found a new golf coach and last week he fired his caddy. But the adjustments seemed to suit the 1996 Thailand Open champion.<P> "We've been working very hard on some things in (Barranger's) swing for the past year or so, and those things are starting to come to fruition," said Ron Cerrudo, a teaching professional at Port Royal Golf Club and a two-time winner on the PGA Tour who began working with Barranger last February.<P> "His swing would always break down because of mechanics, never because of mental errors. He's got the physical attributes, and he's got the will and that inner strength you need to play week in and week out."<P> Barranger, who represents the Daufuskie Island Club and got into the Heritage on a sponsor's exemption, is not quite ready to pronounce his game fit. But he has played enough rounds at Harbour Town that his objective this week is a little higher than padding his statistics and wallet by making the cut.<P> "I'm a full-time player so I know how to win, and I came here to win," said Barranger, whose best finish this year in a tie for 36th at the Buy.Com Florida Classic.<P> "I was a little nervous today starting out, and it probably took four or five holes to settle down ... it's very gratifying - the whole time I was sick this is what I was looking forward to getting back to."<P> Barranger fared better than Bluffton neighbor Tony Branham, who shot a 4-over par 75 in his first appearance at the Heritage. Bob Boyd of Wilmington, N.C., shot a 75, while Rod Pampling, an Australian professional who moved into the Lowcountry within the past few months, finished with a 79.<P>  </FONT>[an error occurred while processing this directive]