Zurich Classic: What to know for TOUR's only team event
The PGA TOUR is in New Orleans this week for the Zurich Classic, the only official team event on the circuit's schedule.
Eighty teams will take part in the fourth edition of the competition from TPC Louisiana. Teams of two will play best ball (four-ball) for Rounds 1 and 3, and alternate shot (foursomes) for Rounds 2 and 4. There will be a 36-hole cut, with the top-35 teams including ties advancing to the weekend.
Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer are the defending champions after winning in 2019, and the 2020 event was canceled due to COVID-19. The Zurich Classic was an individual event until 2016, when Brian Stuard won.
When: April 22-25
Where: New Orleans, Louisiana
Purse: $7.4 million
Winner's prize: $1.1 million per team member
How to watch
| Date | Channel | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| April 22 | Golf Channel | 3:30-6:30 p.m. |
| April 23 | Golf Channel | 3:30-6:30 p.m. |
| April 24 | Golf Channel | 1-3 p.m. |
| CBS | 3-6 p.m. | |
| April 25 | Golf Channel | 1-3 p.m. |
| CBS | 3-6 p.m. |
Recent winners
Rahm and Palmer won by three shots in 2019. They return to defend their title as one of the two betting favorites.
Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy won in 2018 by one shot over Jason Dufner and Pat Perez. Horschel took an individual title in 2013, and he'll look for three wins at TPC Louisiana alongside partner Sam Burns.
Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt won the inaugural team event after a Monday playoff triumph over Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown. Kisner chipped in for birdie on the 72nd hole to force the extra holes.
The field
Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay will form the team with the best-combined world ranking, and they're the betting favorites alongside Rahm and Palmer.
Here are the other notable duos:
- Collin Morikawa, Matthew Wolff
- Marc Leishman, Cam Smith
- Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett
- Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson
- Scottie Scheffler, Bubba Watson
- Tony Finau, Cameron Champ
- Sungjae Im, Byeong Hun An
- Viktor Hovland, Kris Ventura
Featured groups (all times ET)
Group: Schauffele-Cantlay, Watson-Scheffler
Thursday - 8:39 a.m.
Friday - 2:08 p.m.
Group: Champ-Finau, Horschel-Burns
Thursday - 8:52 a.m.
Friday - 2:19 p.m.
Group: Morikawa-Wolff, Leishman-Smith
Thursday - 1:44 p.m.
Friday - 9:53 a.m.
Group: Stenson-Rose, Rahm-Palmer
Thursday - 1:57 p.m.
Friday - 10:04 a.m.
The course
TPC Louisiana is a 7,425-yard, par-72 course that the late Pete Dye designed. It's hosted the Zurich Classic every year since 2005, except when Hurricane Katrina damaged the course in 2006.
Winning scores at TPC Louisiana when the tournament was an individual event ranged from 15-under to 20-under, largely due to the venue's reachable set of par 5s. Long hitters won't get a distinct advantage off the tee, which is a common feature at most Dye-designed courses. Rather, getting into a good position to create quality angles into the greens will rewarded.
Betting corner
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer | +700 |
| Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay | +700 |
| Marc Leishman and Cam Smith | +1200 |
| Collin Morikawa and Matthew Wolff | +1200 |
| Scottie Scheffler and Bubba Watson | +1400 |
| Tony Finau and Cameron Champ | +1600 |
| Billy Horschel and Sam Burns | +2200 |
| Tyrrell Hatton and Danny Willett | +2200 |
| Brendon Todd and Chris Kirk | +2400 |
| Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel | +2600 |
| Max Homa and Talor Gooch | +3200 |
| Harold Varner III and Branden Grace | +3200 |
| Jason Kokrak and Pat Perez | +3200 |
| Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An | +3800 |
| Keegan Bradley and Brendan Steele | +3800 |
| Kevin Streelman and Dylan Frittelli | +3800 |
| Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson | +3800 |
| Viktor Hovland and Kristoffer Ventura | +4000 |