PGA Tour Brunch | Zurich Preview
PGA Tour Brunch Previews the 2025 Zurich Classic | NOLA
The Zurich Classic | Tournament Preview
NEW ORLEANS - This is the eighth year the Zurich Classic of New Orleans will be played in a two-man team format, which was introduced in 2017 (postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19). Teams will play Four-ball in the first and third rounds, and Foursomes (alternate shot) in the second and final rounds.
Each player on the winning team will receive 400 FedExCup points, $1,329,400, a two-year exemption on the PGA TOUR (through 2027) and entry into the three remaining Signature Events.
This week’s field is highlighted by six players inside the Top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking, including two of the top five (No. 2/Rory McIlroy, No. 4/Collin Morikawa).
Some tournament notes:
Teams in the field that have won this tourney beforehand: Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry (2024), Nick Hardy and Davis Riley (2023)
Players who won with different partners: Billy Horschel (2018 with Scott Piercy) and Ryan Palmer (2019 with LIVs Jon Rahm)
Players who won in the individual format: Nick Watney (2007), Jason Dufner (2012), Billy Horschel (2013). Horschel is the only player who has won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans both in the individual and team format (2013, 2018)
Seven teams that finished inside the Top 10 in 2024 are paired together in 2025: Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry (Won), Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard (3rd), Garrick Higgo and Ryan Fox (T4), Zac Blair and Patrick Fishburn (T4), Max Greyserman and Nico Echavarria (T4), Thomas Detry and Robert MacIntyre
(T8), Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin (10th)
Charley Hoffman and Nick Watney are the only pair to compete together in all seven previous editions of the team format. The duo has two Top-10s together, including a T5 in 2017.
Zurich Classic | Tournament Facts
COURSE: TPC Louisiana, Avondale, LA
ARCHITECT: Pete Dye
YARDS/PAR: 7,425 yards/Par 72
PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $9,200,000/$1,329,400
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy
OVERVIEW: (link)
PAST RESULTS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winners: 400 to each player
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @Zurich_Classic
NOLA: Remember, the local time in New Orleans is Central time, one hour behind Eastern Daylight time.
How to Watch: Please visit: (Golf Week)
The Basics
How the Team Format Works (PGATourCom)
Zurich Classic Tee Times start Thursday at 8:00am (ET) and go to 3:02pm (ET).
Weather: Thursday’s forecast calls for partly cloudy skies but temperatures reaching 83-degrees. Winds at 11 mph and chance of rain is 24%. Weekend forecast is good/sunny, little chance of rain.
Zurich Classic Tournament Web Site: (link)
FedEx Cup Standings: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch will post before 8:00AM (ET) on Thursday.
The Zurich Classic | Field and Tee Times
The Field: (link)
Tee Times: (link)
The Zurich Classic | Odds
Source: CBS Sportsline
Shane Lowry / Rory McIlroy +360
Kurt Kitayama / Collin Morikawa +1400
J.T. Poston / Keith Mitchell +1600
Thomas Detry / Robert MacIntyre +1800
Billy Horschel / Tom Hoge +1800
Taylor Moore / Wyndham Clark +2200
Aaron Rai / Sahith Theegala +2200
Andrew Novak / Ben Griffin +2200
Rasmus Højgaard / Nicolai Højgaard +2500
Max Greyserman / Nico Echavarria +3300
Brice Garnett / Sepp Straka +3500
Ryan Fox / Garrick Higgo +3500
Akshay Bhatia / Carson Young +3500
Nick Taylor / Adam Hadwin +3500
Jesper Svensson / Niklas Norgaard +3500
Laurie Canter / Jordan Smith +4000
Michael Thorbjornsen / Karl Vilips +4000
Thorbjørn Olesen / Matt Wallace +4000
Alejandro Tosti / Joe Highsmith +4000
Matt Fitzpatrick / Alex Fitzpatrick +4500
Jhonattan Vegas / Kevin Yu +4500
Rico Hoey / Sam Ryder +4500
Joseph Bramlett / Alex Smalley +4500
Max McGreevy / Sam Stevens +4500
Jacob Bridgeman / Chandler Phillips +5000
Doug Ghim / Chan Kim +5500
Ryan Gerard / Danny Walker +5500
Erik van Rooyen / Christiaan Bezuidenhout +5500
Cam Davis / Adam Svensson +6000
Quade Cummins / Chris Gotterup +6000
Beau Hossler / Andrew Putnam +6000
Victor Perez / Matthieu Pavon +6500
Nate Lashley / Hayden Springer +6500
Harry Higgs / Joel Dahmen +7000
Bud Cauley / Kevin Tway +7000
Frankie Capan III / Jake Knapp +7500
Jeremy Paul / Yannik Paul +7500
Luke List / Henrik Norlander +8000
Ryo Hisatsune / Takumi Kanaya +8000
Si Woo Kim / Sangmoon Bae +8000
William Mouw / Ricky Castillo +8000
Justin Lower / Chad Ramey +8000
Patrick Fishburn / Zac Blair +8000
Jackson Suber / Pierceson Coody +8000
Cameron Champ / Lanto Griffin +9000
Davis Riley / Nick Hardy +9000
Sami Valimaki / Ben Silverman +10000
Isaiah Salinda / Kevin Velo +10000
Robby Shelton / Trey Mullinax +10000
Kris Ventura / Antoine Rozner +10000
Mac Meissner / Noah Goodwin +10000
Adam Schenk / Tyler Duncan +11000
Tim Widing / Steven Fisk +11000
Angel Ayora / Alejandro Del Rey +11000
Matt McCarty / Mason Andersen +12000
Vince Whaley / Anders Albertson +12000
Kevin Roy / Trevor Cone +15000
Ryan Brehm / Mark Hubbard +15000
Sam Saunders / Eric Cole +15000
Will Gordon / Matthew Riedel +17000
Zach Johnson / Ryan Palmer +17000
Nick Watney / Charley Hoffman +17000
Cristobal Del Solar / Matteo Manassero +20000
Rikuya Hoshino / Kaito Onishi +20000
Patton Kizzire / Ben Kohles +20000
Taylor Montgomery / John Pak +22000
Paul Peterson / Thomas Rosenmueller +22000
Chez Reavie / Brandt Snedeker +22000
David Lipsky / Dylan Wu +25000
Kevin Kisner / Greyson Sigg +25000
Russell Knox / Peter Malnati +25000
Taylor Dickson / Trace Crowe +25000
Will Chandler / Matt NeSmith +27000
Bill Haas / Martin Laird +27000
Ben Taylor / David Skinns +30000
Chesson Hadley / Jonathan Byrd +30000
Robert Streb / Troy Merritt +40000
Camilo Villegas / Luke Donald +50000
Braden Thornberry / Hayden Buckley +50000
TL’s Wedge for an Edge: This week’s PGA Fantasy game is taking a week off because of the ‘World Team Golf” a.k.a Zurich Classic event in New Orleans. If playing on other platforms, this tournament allows fantasy players to select the lesser known, usually lower ranked partner for play and get the better-ranked, top-level PGA Tour pro. For my PGA Tour One and Done at the Zurich, the pick is Brice Garnett to get team of Garnett and Sepp Straka
What They’re Saying:
How It Works at Zurich Classic (PGATourCom)
Relaxed Rory and Shane Ready for NOLA/Zurich (Golf Week)
Five Intriguing Teams | Zurich Classic - (PGATourCom)
How to Watch Thursday’s R-1 (Golf Week)
Sports Gambling, Daily Fantasy and Industry News
Bob Weeks of TSN Picks and Predictions for Zurich Classic - (TSN)
Expert Picks for Zurich - (PGATourCom)
Sleeper Picks for Zurich Classic - (PGATourCom)
On This Day in Golf History:
April 23, 1978 - Gary Player won his 24th and last event on the PGA Tour, shooting a final round (69) to defeat Andy Bean by one stroke at the Houston Open. The win capped an incredible three weeks for Player as he won The Masters (April 9), and the Tournament of Champions the previous week. - Courtesy of Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
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Parting Putt:
