The Zurich Classic is a “unique week” on the PGA Tour. As such, before you go betting your hard-earned dollars won last week on the Nelly/Scottie parlay, make sure you understand the many details that are easily overlooked in New Orleans.
1. The tournament has a special format. Eighty teams of two players will compete in Fourball (better ball of partners) in Rounds 1 and 3, and Foursomes (alternate shot) in Rounds 2 and 4. If you are betting head-to-head daily matchups make sure you know which teams are favored in which formats.
2. Speaking of Foursomes, certain teams who have a great approach player combined with an excellent driver can take advantage of TPC Louisiana’s routing. The great drivers should tee off on the even holes. There’s a long hitter’s edge on 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, and 18. Conversely, the iron game guy should take the odd holes. That will give him three of the par 3s.
3. The average winning score of the team event over the past six editions is 22 under par. Those same winners average 16 under par in Fourball and just six under in Foursomes. When selecting your outright pick, make sure they can score in alternate shot.
4. When it comes to the career strokes gained leader for TPC Louisiana, look no further than Billy Horschel. Last week’s winner in Punta Cana has won as an individual and teammate at the Zurich. He has also finished runner-up as both, too. Experience and course knowledge go a long way in team formats.
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5. The average winner’s pre-tournament odds are +3000 for the team version of the Zurich. Six winners have ranged from +800 to +10000, but the large majority sit just below the betting favorites on the board.
6. There are three types of teams in this event. First, we have the friends. These pairings are two players where one has status on the PGA Tour and the other does not; the Fitzpatrick brothers come to mind here. The second group are the popular teams. Two popular players who attract bettors’ attention, yet lack the skills needed to win. Joel Dahmen and Keith Mitchell are awesome guys to cheer for, but who is going to make a putt when it counts most? The final category are the chemistry teams. Two players who complement each other perfectly. A great example is Tom Hoge and Maverick McNealy. When it comes to betting this weekend, stick with the third group.
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7. The Golf Digest betting panel has seven pundits picking winners. Three of them predicted Taylor Moore and Matt NeSmith (+4500) to win. Sometimes the trend is your friend.
8. One element of the Zurich we all find entertaining are the team walk up songs. On Wednesday when the playlist is released and published on social media, make sure you check it out.
9. TPC Louisiana is a par-72 layout stretching 7,425 yards. Eight holes have water in play and there are 106 bunkers. Accuracy is an imperative for these teams. The greens are small averaging 5,225 sq/ft in size. Scoring is possible though, four par 4s measure under 400 yards, and the pros also have four par 5s to attack.
Public TPC Louisiana Avondale, LA 3.7 59 Panelists
- Best In State
Home of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans since 2007, this Pete Dye design exudes a flair of TPC Sawgrass with some more low-profile design features like hidden bunkers and green complexes that offer options on approach. Dye had help from fellow tour pros Steve Elkington and New Orleans native Kelly Gibson on this 7,400 yard par-72 layout. Consistently ranked in the top 10 of Golf Digest’s Best in State, TPC Lousiana offers a nice mix of challenging short and long holes. Explore our full review
10. The forecast calls for temperatures in the mid 80s all week and no chance of rain until Sunday afternoon (25 percent). The wind is another story. In rounds one and two, the breeze will be blowing in the mid-teens. The top 33 teams and ties who make the weekend, will have their hands full. The wind will reach 20-plus mph with plenty of gusts above that. Take ball-strikers who can handle the elements, because when scoring counts most you will need them to close this one out!
Attention to detail provides a small edge every week. In the case of unique events like the Zurich Classic it can be a game changer. Digest my top 10 for TPC Louisiana and place those weekend wagers. We all have to feel good after last week’s prop article and the perfect parlay taking Scheffler and Korda to win.
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Free Zurich picks to win from RTL
Hoge/McNealy +2500
Hadwin/Taylor +2800
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For our other bets and our selections for the worst value options for the 2024 Zurich Classic, make sure you watch our weekly “Odds Drop” video:
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Keith Stewart is a five-time award-winning PGA professional, a betting contributor and content partner with Golf Digest and founder of Read The Line, the premier on-site live golf betting insights service covering the LPGA and PGA TOUR. Subscribe to Read The Line’s weekly newsletter here and raise your golf betting acumen. Keith’s winning content can also be found on Sports Grid, Bleacher Report and The Sporting News. Follow him on Twitter @readtheline_.
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