Preview

Course Info

Designer: Pete Dye
Used Since: 2005 (2017 for pairs).
Fairways: Generous.
Rough: Bermuda
Greens: TifEagle Bermuda (New greens since last event hosted here in 2019.
Water Hazards: 3,4,6,9,16,17,18.
Par 5's: 2nd, 7th, 11th and 18th
Premium on: Approach play and putting.
 

Significant Info

Continue to exercise caution in relation to Covid-19 related withdrawals.  

It's the 4th time the Zurich Classic has been a team tournament. 

There are 80 teams of two. Top 35 and ties make the cut.

72-hole format featuring Four-Ball on Thursday and Saturday and Foursomes Friday and Sunday.

This event wasn't played in 2020 due to the pandemic. 

Weather

The forecast is mixed this week with possible thunderstorms/showers on Friday and Saturday. Thursday and Sunday should be sunny and dry.

Thursday
Max 12mph winds forecast
Friday
Max 16mph winds forecast
Saturday
Max 16mph winds forecast
Sunday
Max 10mph winds forecast

Trends

We will analyse the winners of the previous three team events to find trends. Past winners include Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer (2019), Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy (2018), and Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt (2017). 

Winning Score
The last three team events have been won between -22 and -27. Birdies are the name of the game and expect another winning score in the high 20's.

Course Form
Rahm had missed the cut in his only previous attempt with Wesley Bryan. Palmer had a previous solo 4th here in 2012 and 4th here in 2017 with Jordan Spieth. Horschel had won at the course in 2013 but Peiercy had missed both cuts here. Blixt or Smith had no form to speak of in the previous individual editions at the Zurich Classic. Preferred but not essential. 

Recent Form
Palmer finished 28th at the Heritage the week before and Rahm was 9th at the Masters in his previous start. Piercy had missed the cut in his last start in Texas but had finished 16th at the Heritage the week before. Horschel had finished 11th in Texas the week before and 5th at Heritage. Smith had finished 6th at Texas and 29th at Heritage. Blixt had finished 44th in his last start at the Heritage. Solid recent form from the Heritage and Texas Open appears to be really important. 

Winners Profile
Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer in 2019 were both already multiple winners on tour, although Palmer hadn't won since 2010. Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy were already multiple winners too, Horschel had even won the Zurich Classic before in 2013. In 2017, Jonas Blixt had won on tour before but it was Cameron Smith's first win on tour. Ideally though, we are looking for a team that have both won on tour.

Nationality
Mix of Nationalties from from the three previous pairs winners. No trends identified.

Correlating Courses
There are trends with another Pete Dye designed courses, TPC Sawgrass. Home of The Players Championship, Sawgrass also demands accuracy off the tee and challenges players visually, as Dye likes to do. Harbour Town which was used last week is also a Dye design so recent form is an angle in at these courses. 

Stats Analysis

No stats available due to team event.

In Play

Fast or Slow Start
Rahm and Palmer were 4 shots back after day one in 17th place but were leading from the halfway point onwards. Horschel and Piercy were 3 shots back after day one and 6 back at halfway before a 3rd round 61 put them 2 shots back heading into the final round. Smith and Blixt were 6 shots back after day one but led at halfway. 

You don't need to be leading after day one here but you want to be up with the pace after the second round is completed. 

In-play

Zurich Classic of New Orleans In-Play Blog

25 April 1.15pm

Three closing birdies saw the South African duo of Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen claim the lead going into the final round of the Zurich Classic.  Bookmakers now make them a best price 3/1 to convert from here.

The format for the final round will be foursomes, just as it was on Friday.  Schwartzel/Oosthuizen shot a solid 71 earlier in the week and their only dropped shots came by way of a missed 5ft par putt and a poor chip from a relatively easy position.  Another round of 71 will certainly ask a question and will at least force the others to shoot in the 60s if they want to win outright.

For all their solid play when playing foursomes, it's worth mentioning that Charl Schwarzel plays with a ball that is different to almost everyone on the PGA Tour.  It didn't seem to matter to them on Friday but under pressure we may see some cracks start to appear.  

lt's also notable that the past record of 54 hole leaders at this event isn't the strongest.  In 2019 Jon Rahm/Ryan Palmer co-led and were able to go on and win.  However, their co-leaders (Stallings/Mullinax) struggled to a final round 77 and in 2018, the leaders (Kisner/Brown) also shot 5 over par and slipped to 15th!

With that in mind, we're happy to take the leaders on in the final round.  The wind is not expected to be strong today, maximum forecast is 6mph and players will be able to make birdies.

Round 4 Bets

• 1pt Win Only Pieters/Lewis 33/1 @ Bet365 

We tipped Pieters/Lewis pre-event and we are looking to top up going into the final round.  They had a relatively slow start, only managing a round of 67 in Thursday's fourballs.  However, two good rounds have followed and they are now within 3 shots of the lead.  Their foursomes performance on Friday was particularly impressive, a missed 5ft par putt on the first hole their only dropped shot.   

• 1.5pts Win Only Ventura/Hovland 12/1 @ Bet365 

We'd like to cover Hovland/Ventura given their solidity off the tee this week.  Both players are driving the ball nicely and that set them up nicely for a 3 under 69 on Friday.  The fact they are childhood friends will stand them in good stead and if they can keep the ball out the water on the par 3s they'll go close today.