Zurich Classic Power Rankings: Bubba-Kuchar the team to beat
A field of 160 golfers is set to compete at TPC Louisiana on Thursday for the Zurich Classic, but not as individuals. In the only team event on the PGA Tour schedule, teams of two will work as one to win the Zurich Classic title. theScore ranks the top 10 teams below.
1. Bubba Watson/Matt Kuchar
The perfect combination on paper. Kuchar is as steady as they come, allowing Bubba to be aggressive in scoring situations. Watson, a former winner at TPC Louisiana, is playing extremely well in 2018. They were not a team last year, but their extensive Ryder Cup experience together will be beneficial.
2. Justin Thomas/Bud Cauley
The University of Alabama alumni are in a good spot to win the 2018 Zurich Classic. Last year, this duo showed the ability to go low in the best-ball format, shooting 61 in the final round to finish tied for fifth. Thomas will carry this team, but Cauley, a fantastic putter and birdie maker, is no slouch either.
3. Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson
The Rose-Stenson pairing is the "superteam" of the tournament. Both are major winners, rank inside the top 15 in the world and are coming off strong performances at the Masters. They are the betting favorite, but missed the cut here last year, an outcome that could repeat itself.
4. Patrick Reed/Patrick Cantlay
Reed, the reigning Masters champ, is in action for the first time as a green jacket owner. Cantlay showed signs of life at the RBC Heritage, finishing tied for seventh. The Patricks tied for 14th in this event last season and are a definite powerhouse in the team format.
5. Jordan Spieth/Ryan Palmer
The Spieth-Palmer squad finished fourth at this event last year and will look to come up with a repeat performance. Spieth will not be the one holding this team back. Palmer's TPC Louisiana history is decent, but his four missed cuts in his last six events is worrisome.
6. Sergio Garcia/Rafael Cabrera-Bello
The two Spaniards would be higher if they were in their usual form. Garcia missed his last two cuts, and Cabrera-Bello missed the cut at his national open two weeks ago. Regardless, the former Ryder Cup pairing can easily run away with the event if they are firing on all cylinders.
7. Jason Day/Ryan Ruffels
Jason Day is taking the 19-year-old Australian Ryan Ruffels under his wing. Ruffels is currently on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica, but a win at the Zurich Classic would grant him a two-year exemption on the big-boy tour. Day's two top-five finishes at TPC Louisiana will go a long way in helping this team succeed.
8. Kevin Kisner/Scott Brown
This duo lost in a playoff at the 2017 Zurich Classic after carding a final-round 60, which ended in dramatic fashion. Kisner and Brown's reputation for being close to unbeatable in Tuesday practice rounds makes them a force in team competition, despite lacking name power.
9. Jon Rahm/Wesley Bryan
If Bryan plays decent, the combination of his wedge play with Rahm's power will be dangerous. If Bryan struggles, it could get really ugly for this pairing. Rahm gets heated after his own bad shots - imagine his temperament after hacking Bryan's errant tee-shot out of the bush.
10. Tommy Fleetwood/Chris Paisley
Team England features one of the world's elite ball strikers (Fleetwood) with one of the world's best putters (Paisley). Paisley is the unknown in this tandem. He sits 87th in the world rankings and recorded a win and two top-five finishes on the European Tour in 2018.
Honorable Mentions
- Cameron Smith/Jonas Blixt - defending champions
- Ian Poulter/Graeme McDowell - plenty of Ryder Cup experience
- Louis Oosthuizen/Charl Schwartzel - major winning South Africans
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)