PGA Betting: Zurich Classic of New Orleans

After getting cancelled by COVID-19 last season, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans returns to the PGA schedule this week at TPC Louisiana.

The Zurich Classic is different than other PGA events as it features a two-player team format. The team format began in 2017, and in 2018 the setup was changed to two-ball for the first and third rounds, and alternating shot for the second and fourth rounds.

Rahm, Palmer co-favorites in defense of 2019 crown

Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer, the defending champions from 2019, are reuniting to try to win again this week. In 2019 the duo shot 26 under par to win the tournament by three strokes. At Bovada Sportsbook, Rahm and Palmer are co-favorites to win again this week at +700 along with Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.

Rahm, who is currently ranked third in the world, will be taking part in his first event since tying for fifth at the Masters two weeks ago. Palmer tied for 34th at Augusta National and has two top-five finishes on the tour this season.

Schauffele and Cantlay may be the best team on paper at the Zurich Classic as both are in the top 10 in the World Golf Ranking. However, Cantlay has been struggling with his game lately, missing the cut in his last three tournaments. Schauffele may be able to make up for Cantlay’s struggles if they continue this week after tying for third at the Masters earlier this month.

The other teams to win the Zurich Classic since it went to that format in 2017 were Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith in 2017, and Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy in 2018. Blixt is not in the field this week, while Horschel and Piercy will also be playing with new partners.

Smith, Leishman third in odds to win Zurich Classic

Smith is teamed up with Marc Leishman and they’re currently third on the Bovada odds list at +1000.

Horschel, who also won this tournament by himself in 2013 before it was changed to a team format, is paired with Sam Burns this week. At Bovada, they’re +2000 underdogs.

Piercy’s teammate this week will be Akshay Bhatia. They’re +12500 long shots at Bovada.

Along with Horschel, there are several other former winners of the Zurich when it was a single-player event who are in the field this week. They include 2016 winner Brian Stuard, 2015 winner Justin Rose, 2012 winner Jason Dufner and 2011 winner Bubba Watson. The odds for their teams this week are Stuard and Russell Knox (+6600), Rose and Henrik Stenson (+2800), Dufner and Dominic Bozzelli (+20000), and Watson and Scottie Scheffler (+1400).