This year’s fifth edition of the team event at the Zurich Classic is the only two-man team tournament on the PGA Tour. Held at TPC Louisiana 15 miles Southwest of New Orleans, the tournament is played on the Pete Dye-designed 7,425 yard par 72 course in Avondale.
The event was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and then last year, the club was closed and without power for two weeks until Nov. 1 after Hurricane Ida hit on Aug. 29, 2021. Nine acres of wooded areas had to be removed along with an additional 700 trees on the property.
Sports betting in the Bayou has become quite popular since legalization in Oct. 2021. There are more than 40 mobile apps in Louisiana in addition to retail sportsbooks set up at authorized casinos and racetracks.
The PGA Tour event at the Zurich Classic along with New Orleans Pelicans playoff games could help generate the biggest monthly handle since the Pelican State took on sports betting.
In February, $238 million was gambled on sports, and 90% of that handle came from online sports betting.
Teams at the Zurich Classic
This year’s tournament has three teams with both players ranked top 15 in the world. Those teams are leading favorites with odds to win the Zurich Classic. Check out the current pairings and odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook LA. You can receive a sign-up bonus and up to a $1,000 bonus bet.
- Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland (+750)
- Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele (+800)
- Sam Burns and Billy Horschel (+1200)
In addition, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is in the field looking for his fifth PGA Tour victory in 2022. Scottie is paired with fellow Texan Ryan Palmer.
Last year’s Zurich Classic winners, Australian’s Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman return to defend as one of the leading favorites.
- Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman (+950)
- Scottie Scheffler and Ryan Palmer (+1100)
- Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia (+1700)
- Shane Lowry and Ian Poulter (+1900)
- Joaquin Niemann and Mio Pereira (2400)
- Talor Gooch and Max Homa (+2400)
- Tyrrell Hatton and Danny Willett (+2800)
- Harold Varner III and Bubba Watson (+2800)
- Keegan Bradley and Brendan Steele (+3100)
- Byeong Hun An and Sunjae Im (+3200)
- Patton Kizzire and J.T. Poston (+3600)
- Graeme McDowell and Seamus Power (+3600)
- Riley and Will Zalatoris (+3600)
- Adam Hadwin and Adam Svensson (+4600)
See other other leading teams, odds and analysis.
How the Zurich Classic works
Team Format Rules:
- Rounds 1 and 3 are Four-Ball (Best-Ball)
- Rounds 2 and 4 are Foursomes (Alternate Shot)
For Four-Ball play, the players on each team will each play their ball throughout the entirety of the round. The best score between the two players is recorded.
During Foursomes play, players will rotate tee shots. One player will hit the tee shots on all the odd-numbered holes, and the other will hit the tee shot on even-numbered holes. The total strokes taken will result in the team’s score for that hole.
Making the Cut: The low 33 teams and ties following Round 2 continue to play into the weekend on Saturday and Sunday.
Both players on the winning team receive a two-year winner’s exemption and eligibility into Invitational fields. Including the Tournament of Champions, THE PLAYERS Championship and also the PGA Championship.
Course and tournament information
- Course: TPC Louisiana
- Location: Avondale, La
- Date: Apr. 21-24
- Par: 72 / Yardage 7,425
- Purse: $8.3 Million / Winners $2.5 Million (split)
- Fairways/Rough: Bermudagrass
- Greens: Bermudagrass
- TV/Online: Golf Channel, CBS (Sat/Sun), PGA Tour Live
The most notable lost tree was in the middle of the No. 11 fairway. There have been 400 new trees added to the property since the hurricane. In recent years renovations involved the course’s bunkers with some restored to their original shape. The larger fairway and greenside bunkers are now smaller.
Top Tiger to watch: Sam Burns
Sam Burns played golf at LSU, and the 25-year-old former Tiger was an All-American his sophomore year and named Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year for the 2016–17 season.
The Shreveport native was also a 3-time state high school individual champion. Burns emerged on the PGA Tour last season winning two tournaments at the Valspar Championship and Sanderson Farms Championship.
He won the Valspar Championship again this year for his third PGA Tour title, and Burns is currently ranked No. 11 in the world.
Burns paired with Billy Horschel in last year’s Zurich Classic and they finished tied for fourth place at 18-under par. They are clear contenders again this year as both players rank top 15 on Tour in Strokes Gained: Total over their last 36 rounds.
Burns is currently No. 7 on Tour on making birdies (4.60 per round), which is imperative in the Thursday/Saturday Four-Ball format. The pair shot 63 and 65 in those two rounds last year and should get off to a strong start again with an early tee time Thursday.
