We ditch the traditional 72 hole stroke play on the PGA Tour this week for a pairs competition in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a popular stop for a number of players prior to the change in format and seemingly even more so after it.
Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy combined to come through the two rounds of fourballs and two rounds of foursomes last year and run off with the title and they will be hoping to land the spoils once again here.
Recent Winners
2018 – Billy Horschel & Scott Piercy
2017 – Jonas Blixt & Cameron Smith
2016 – Brian Stuard
2015 – Justin Rose
2014 – Seung-yul Noh
2013 – Billy Horschel
2012 – Jason Dufner
2011 – Bubba Watson
2010 – Jason Bohn
2009 – Jerry Kelly
The Course
We are at TPC Louisiana once again this week. After the storms of a few years ago took out a number of the trees on this course, it has become a second shot golf course, as evidenced by the list of recent winners who are pretty much a who’s who of ball striking with the exception of Bubba Watson.
The course is a par 72 which measures 7,425 yards so it isn’t overly long and with no real punishment off the tee most players can get round it safely enough. The greens here are pretty undulating and that is where the test comes. You would have to putt well in this type of event anyway but that is especially the case on these greens.
There is a little more strategy involved this week, especially in the first and third rounds when everyone plays their own golf ball and scoring needs to be low. The even rounds are not too bad with just the one ball in play. We’re looking for a good ball striking pair who can hole putts and will gel nicely.
The Field
Although the event is a little quirky this week it has still attracted a decent field to the event. The likes of Jason Day and Adam Scott team up while Henrik Stenson and Graeme McDowell as well as the pairing of Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia will lead the European charge. It wouldn’t be team golf without Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen competing and they are here to do just that.
In terms of the Americans the defending champions of Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy could be considered the leading pair with major champions such as Jim Furyk, Patrick Reed, Padraig Harrington, Bubba Watson, Brooks Koepka and Ernie Els all teeing it up in the various pairings on show this week.
Market Leaders
The Australian pairing of Adam Scott and Jason Day are the 8/1 favourites to win the tournament this week. The duo combined to win the World Cup of Golf at a canter in 2013 but have only been seen together once since then. They are the class pair in the field but they look plenty short enough to me given that we never truly know how fit Day is going to be and if Scott has a poor putting round in the fourballs it would have a major impact. They are not for me.
The European pair of Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia are next in the betting at 10/1. They are an interesting pairing. As Ryder Cup teammates you would think they will go well but they play a different ball which is always a concern in team golf and you just wonder how deeply serious this pair will be. They are good players but the price is nothing to write home about so once again I’ll look elsewhere here.
Patrick Reed and Patrick Cantlay go into the tournament as 12/1 shots to land the big prize. This is an interesting pairing as Reed likes to get on with it and Cantlay would go backwards if he got any slower. At their best they fit the ball striking criteria nicely but Reed cannot be described as being in that form. Cantlay struggles way too much with the putter for my liking so these two definitely aren’t for me even allowing for their quality.
Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer is an interesting pairing at 16/1. They could be brilliant if they both click but at the same time if the going gets tough they could spectacularly blow a gasket and that has to be a concern. They are only together off the back of a caddy bet so it isn’t like they have a natural camaraderie or anything like that. If they are good enough to win at 16/1 then so be it but I have too many doubts to get involved.
[the_ad_group id=”3624″]
Main Bets
My main bet this week is going to be Tony Finau and Kyle Stanley who should combine to be an excellent team. They both smack it 300 yards off the tee but they are both accurate with it and have improved immeasurably around the greens. Finau has the length to overpower this golf course but with these two being GIR machines, which is huge in team golf, they look to have more than a leading chance of landing the spoils at quotes of 20/1.
Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown were beaten in a play-off in this tournament two years ago and then they led through 54 holes here last year before fading away a little but they have to be taken here in my eyes. I say that because Kisner has won the Match Play this season and is still riding the quest of a wave as a result. Brown is a more than competent partner and it is clear that the pair gel nicely which is so important in this tournament. These two tick a number of boxes and are my second main bet.
Outsiders
Brian Stuard caught my eye going into last week and he performed well at the Heritage but for one slow round which cost him a much bigger cheque but the fact he is in good form may bode well going in here where he is a former champion. He will team up with Russell Knox who is another classy ball striker and they would not be without a chance of going deep in this thing if one of them can ride a hot putter. There are far worse bets in this tournament than the 50/1 on them this week.
Patton Kizzire and Brian Harman paired up to win the Shootout at the end of last year and then after the tournament they revealed that they have played all sorts of age group golf together, know each other well and are comfortable alongside each other on the golf course. The format for that was not too dissimilar to this one so they have to be taken very seriously indeed. Admittedly the courses are totally different but gelling can mean so much this week. I’m happy to get on the pair we know will do that.
Tips
Back T.Finau & K.Stanley to win Zurich Classic of New Orleans (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 21.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-7)
Back R.Knox & B.Stuard to win Zurich Classic of New Orleans (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 51.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
PLACED – Back K.Kisner & S.Brown to win Zurich Classic of New Orleans (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
Back P.Kizzire & B.Harman to win Zurich Classic of New Orleans (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Betfred (1/5 1-6)
Back them here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2019
