The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is back this week for the seventh time as the PGA Tour’s only two-man team event.
Some of the PGA Tour’s bigger names — including Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Sahith Theegala and Collin Morikawa — tee it up starting Thursday at TPC Louisiana. They’ll switch back and forth between formats: best ball Thursday and Saturday, the harder alternate shot Friday and Sunday.
The Golf Channel will televise portions of all four rounds, with CBS showing portions of the last two rounds.
Who are the big contenders this week? Here are our top-five teams to watch:
Xander Schauffele (USA) and Patrick Cantlay (USA)
Odds: +450
World rankings: Schauffele is No. 5, Cantlay is No. 8
FedEx Cup rankings: Schauffele is No. 3, Cantlay is No. 10
Best Zurich finish: 1st, 2022
Off the tee: The recent Zurich champions are in fine form. Schauffele has seven top 10s in 10 starts this year. Cantlay is coming off a tie for third last week at the RBC Heritage.
Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) and Shane Lowry (Ireland)
Odds: +750
World rankings: McIlroy is No. 2, Lowry is No. 39
FedEx Cup rankings: McIlroy is No. 4, Lowry is No. 41
Best Zurich finish: Lowry, T13 in 2022 with Ian Poulter; McIlroy, first appearance
Off the tee: McIlroy only has one top 10 (T3, Texas Open) since a January win in Dubai, but he can never be counted out. Lowry has had progressively lower finishes since tying for third at the Arnold Palmer.
Sahith Theegala (USA) and Will Zalatoris (USA)
Odds: +750
World rankings: Theegala is No. 12, Zalatoris is No. 30
FedEx Cup rankings: Theegala is No. 4, Zalatoris is No. 14
Best Zurich finish: Zalatoris, T4 in 2022 with Davis Riley; Theegala, T23 in 2023 with Justin Suh
Off the tee: Theegala has two seconds (including the Heritage) and three other top 10s in 2024. Zalatoris appears recovered from back surgery in 2023 with three top 10s in his past six starts.
Collin Morikawa (USA) and Kurt Kitayama (USA)
Odds: +1000
World rankings: Morikawa is No. 13, Kitayama is No. 48
FedEx Cup rankings: Morikawa is No. 11, Kitayama is No. 68
Best Zurich finish: Kitayama, T19 in 2023 with Taylor Montgomery; Morikawa, T29 in 2022 with Viktor Hovland
Off the tee: Morikawa is trending up, with a third at the Masters and T9 at the Heritage. Kitayama’s best showing in his past six starts is a T19 at The Players.
Nick Taylor (Canada) and Adam Hadwin (Canada)
Odds: +2000
World rankings: Taylor is No. 29, Hadwin is No. 49
FedEx Cup rankings: Taylor is No. 21, Hadwin is No. 33
Best Zurich finish: 2nd, 2023
Off the tee: Taylor won the Phoenix Open but hasn’t been inside the top 20 in his past four starts. Hadwin was T4 at the Genesis in February and T5 in March at the Valspar.
Others to watch: Matt Fitzpatrick (England) and Alex Fitzpatrick (England); Billy Horschel (USA) and Tyson Alexander (USA); reigning champions Nick Hardy (USA) and Davis Riley (USA).
Odds:
