2023 Zurich Classic: Predictions, expert picks, odds, field rankings, golf format, best bets at TPC Louisiana

This week can be the rest however unusual because the 2023 Zurich Classic takes its annual position at the PGA Tour calendar. Welcoming 80 groups of 2 to TPC Louisiana, the 6th version of the team-style event will see competition play four-ball in Rounds 1 and three and foursomes — sometimes called exchange shot — in Rounds 2 and four.

Last season, excellent pals, in addition to Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teammates, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay took house the name. They arrive this 12 months because the prohibitive favorites and simplest the second one staff within the match’s historical past to characteristic two avid gamers within the most sensible 5 of the Official World Golf Rankings.

Schauffele and Cantlay are two of the 5 avid gamers from closing week’s leaderboard who can be making the go back and forth from Hilton Head, South Carolina, to New Orleans with RBC Heritage champion Matt Fitzpatrick additionally within the field. 

The global No. 8 joins forces together with his more youthful brother, Alex, who’s making simply his 2nd occupation get started at the PGA Tour. Hayden Buckley can be teaming up with J.J. Spaun whilst Sahith Theegala has sought the services and products of reigning Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year Justin Suh. 

Californians and Presidents Cup teammates Max Homa and Collin Morikawa are a couple for the primary time, as are International teammates Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim. While the Americans have been by no means featured along every different this previous fall at Quail Hollow, the Kims have been and memorably took down Cantlay and Schauffele in four-balls.

Event information

Event: 2023 Zurich Classic | Dates: Apr. 20-23
Location: TPC Louisiana — Avondale, Louisiana
Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,425 | Purse: $8,600,000

Format

The Zurich Classic will make use of an alternating-round of four-ball and foursomes. Teams will start within the four-ball layout in Round 1 and put it to use once more in Round 3 whilst foursomes — recurrently known as exchange shot — can be utilized in Rounds 2 and four.

• Four-ball: Players from every staff will play their very own ball right through the around with the best ranking between the 2 getting used for every hollow. If Schauffele makes par on No. 1 and Cantlay makes birdie, the staff will document a birdie.
• Foursome: Before the around starts, groups will resolve which member will tee off on which holes. One participant can be designated to strike the primary tee shot on bizarre holes whilst the opposite will start the even holes. If Cantlay moves the tee shot on No. 1, Schauffele will take at the manner with Cantlay then hitting the 3rd. This alternating will proceed till the ball is holed. Even if Schauffele is the closing to strike a shot on No. 1, he’s going to hit the tee shot on the second one hollow on this example.

Rick Gehman is joined by means of Kyle Porter, Mark Immelman and Patrick McDonald to wreck down a novel staff match because the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. It’s alternatives, storylines and the extremely aggressive One & Done. Follow & pay attention to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

2023 Zurich Classic field, odds

Odds by means of Caesars Sportsbook

• Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay (3-1)
• Collin Morikawa/Max Homa (13/2): The Cali youngsters staff up for the primary time, and each to find themselves within the most sensible 15 of the Official World Golf Rankings. While on paper the 2 must gel, Homa’s loss of high quality because the Florida Swing is also reason for fear. He hasn’t struck the ball neatly over the last month, and overlooked his first lower in 15 begins closing week at Harbour Town. Morikawa’s irons are able to wearing the burden, however his shortcomings at the vegetables is also emphasised on this layout. Teaming up with Viktor Hovland in closing 12 months’s complaints, Morikawa used to be simplest in a position to muster in combination a T29 effort.
• Sungjae Im/Keith Mitchell (11-1): This not going duo is also the staff to provide the highest canine a scare. Mitchell has been hounding at Im to staff up lately and after all he will get his want. The South Korean is coming off a T7 at the RBC Heritage the place he ranked 2nd in strokes received tee to inexperienced, 2nd in strokes received off the tee and 7th in strokes received across the inexperienced. With Mitchell’s booming drives and Im’s pristine iron play, this staff might be able to separate over the 2 rounds of foursomes if the putters behave.
• Si Woo Kim/Tom Kim (14-1): The two have been in combination all through Tom Kim’s popping out birthday celebration at the 2022 Presidents Cup. Holing eagle putts, clinching birdie bids and letting out screams that reverberated right through the Lower 48, this South Korean twosome took Quail Hollow by means of typhoon. However, that used to be then and that is now. Both avid gamers are enjoying respectfully from tee to inexperienced however have fallen brief with the putter in hand. The excellent news is each can run crimson sizzling at the vegetables. The dangerous news is they are able to each run ice chilly. Anything from a overlooked lower to a win is also at the desk.
• Sam Burns/Billy Horschel (18-1): Rounds of 62-68-63-68 noticed them succeed in the 27-under overall in 2022. It would had been excellent sufficient every other 12 months to boost the trophy, however Schauffele and Cantlay’s document efficiency intended this SEC duo completed two strokes out of first. This can be their 3rd look in combination as they test in as one of the vital 5 groups to have two avid gamers within the most sensible 50 of the OWGR. Both avid gamers can roll the rock with the best of them, which makes them extremely unhealthy, however Horschel’s iron will want to get them to the striking floor first.
• Kurt Kitayama/Taylor Montgomery (22-1):
• Sahith Theegala/Justin Suh (22-1)
• Wyndham Clark/Beau Hossler (22-1)
• Matt Fitzpatrick/Alex Fitzpatrick (28-1)
• J.J. Spaun/Hayden Buckley (33-1)
• Nick Taylor/Adam Hadwin (33-1)
• Davis Riley/Nick Hardy (33-1)
• Harris English/Tom Hoge (33-1): This is a doubtlessly sneaky staff made up of a pair veterans. Putting their alma mater’s contemporary variations apart (Georgia and TCU), English and Hoge have the make-up of a great ham-and-egg partnership. Both avid gamers make birdies in bunches, which must let them stay tempo in four-ball. In foursomes, the combo of Hoge’s iron play and English’s striking may well be the variation maker.
• Joel Dahmen/Denny McCarthy (33-1)

2023 Zurich Classic expert alternatives

Which staff will win the Zurich Classic, and which longshots will stun {the golfing} global? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the style that is nailed 9 golf majors and is up over $7,300 since June 2020.