Three Maryland golfers have made it to today's second round of the World Series of Golf being played in Las Vegas, including Rockville insurance agent Rhett Butler who finished second in the unusual tournament last year.

The other two players who are listed as being from Maryland among 20 survivors from an original field of 80 are Bill Strayton of Mt. Airy and Bob Winegard of Burtonsville.

The tournament mixes golf with the betting strategies of poker. Players start out with a certain amount of "chips." They ante before each tee shot and then wager before each of the following shots on their chances to win the hole.  If a player fails to call a bet or raise and drops out of that hole, he or she loses the chips wagered to that point.

Players play in foursomes and advance to the next round by eliminating their three competitors.

"There were better golfers out there than me," Butler said, "but I think I had the advantage on betting strategy."

Butler knocked out all three rivals in his opening foursome at the Paiute Golf Course on holes No. 14, 15 and 17.  With the wind gusting to 50 mph,  Butler (a seven-handicapper) was putting for eagle on the par 5 No. 17 when he knocked out his final opponent.  He wound up three-putting for par but it was good enough for the win.

Butler not only finished second in last year's inaugural World Series of Golf and won $60,000 but more lucratively, he finished fifth in the World Series of Poker Main Event in 2006 winning $3.2 million.

The winner of the World Series of Golf gets $250,000.  Each of yesterday's survivors earned back at least their buy-in for the tournament, $10,000.  Included in the remaining field are poker professionals Erick Lindgren and Allen Cunningham as well as comedian Ray Romano.  Eliminated were poker pros Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson and Phil Gordon as well as last year's event winner Mark Ewing.