Zurich Classic of New Orleans Betting Preview
Following two exciting weeks in the golf world with The Masters and Matt Fitzpatrick's playoff win over Scottie Scheffler at Harbour Town last week, things feel much more laid back this week as the PGA Tour features its lone team event of the year. The Zurich Classic of New Orleans precedes two signature events followed by the second major of the year, and 80 teams will tee-it-up (top-35 plus ties make the cut), headlined by tournament favorites Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick at +1150. Last year, Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak (22-1) won by one stroke over Nicolai Hojgaard and Rasmus Hojgaard for their first Tour victories.
This week's article will be a condensed version compared to usual, with the typical course history and current form statistics being much less relevant. Teams will rotate between playing the fourball format Thursday and Saturday in which each golfer plays their own ball and only the low score on the hole is used, while Friday and Sunday will consist of foursomes. Also commonly referred to as alternate shot, one golfer will tee off on the odd holes and the other on the evens, and will rotate shots on each hole. At TPC Louisiana, that usually means the longer player will tee off on the even holes, where there are three long par-4s, while three of the four par-3s come on the odd holes. This is where it can come in handy to have a partner with contrasting styles as a pairing with a long hitter and a strong iron player (or a good ball striker with a short-game specialist) can take advantage of the foursomes format.
A par-72 that plays 7,425 yards, the host venue is a Pete Dye design that has water in play on eight holes, and the signature par-5 18th hole with water along the right side has led to dramatic finishes over the years. Overall, I think the format makes it best to target longer hitters and players that rank well in birdie or better percentage, and then to look at teams that have well-rounded players and ones that fill each other's weaknesses.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 12:00 PM ET Wednesday.
Zurich Classic of New Orleans Bets: Outright Picks
Michael Thorbjornsen/Karl Vilips (+1950)
Last week's segment began with Fitzpatrick, who came through at 17-1, and I'll look to go for two in a row. Two of the last three champions here have been first-timer winners, and Thorbjornsen and Vilips will look to add to that trend. The duo posted a top-5 in their debut here last year and tied for the lowest weekend total after making the cut on the number. Thorbjornsen's length and Vilips' putting make for a strong combination.
Zach Bauchou/Sam Stevens (32-1)
Bauchou will be making his tournament debut and pairs up with Stevens, who finished two shots back with Paul Barjon in 2024. The rookie started the year with seven straight made cuts including three top-25s. Stevens is playing arguably the best golf of his career, notably posting a top-5 in Houston last month.
Kevin Streelman/Joel Dahmen (100-1)
Don't be afraid to go with some longshots as we've seen crazy things happen here, like Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer losing in a playoff two years ago at 125-1. Dahmen has a pair of top-10s this year and has been in good form with his ball-striking, ranking 26th in SG: Off-the-Tee and 32nd in approach. Meanwhile, Streelman has made four cuts in a row and had a top-10 in Puerto Rico.
Zurich Classic of New Orleans Bets: Placement Wagers
Kevin Roy/Max McGreevy
Top-5 Finish: +530
Although neither have had success at this event, both are entering in much better form than past years. Roy has made six straight cuts with a pair of top-25s, while McGreevy is gaining 0.74 strokes off the tee and on approach combined per round this season. I like the contrast in the first-time pairing's games, with Roy's short game and length complementing McGreevy's accuracy and iron play.
A.J. Ewart/Casey Jarvis
Top-5 Finish: 7-1
Jarvis may not be a familiar name to golf fans stateside, but he's well known overseas. The 22-year-old South African has won four times worldwide since November, including twice on the DP World Tour over the last two months. He'll pair up with Ewart, who had the low score at Q-School and posted two top-15s last month.
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