The only team format PGA Tour event takes place this week with 80 teams of two players hitting the TPC Louisiana track for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Teams will play a best ball format on Thursday and Saturday with alternate shot used on Friday and Sunday. Less than half the field will advance to the weekend, and the team format adds a layer of intrigue to the betting. The duo of Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer look to defend their title as betting favorites. However, there are several teams with strong golfers that will make matchup betting interesting. Below is a look at some matchup odds for the event that gets underway on Thursday. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of matchup betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Zurich Classic of New Orleans Matchup Odds at BookMaker.eu
Rahm/Palmer -115 vs. Schauffele/Cantlay -115
Rahm/Palmer -155 vs. Smith/Leishman +124
Morikawa/Wolff -110 vs. Finau/Champ -120
Smith/Leishman -122 vs. Finau/Champ -108
Watson/Scheffler -130 vs. Morikawa/Wolff +100
Horschel/Burns -120 vs. Kirk/Todd -110
Hatton/Willett -135 vs. Hovland/Ventura +105
Rose/Stenson +108 vs. Oosthuizen/Schwartzel -138
Glover/Reavie -105 vs. Sungjae Im/Byeong Hun An -125
Pieters/Lewis -125 vs. Noren/Norlander -105
Ghim/Suh -115 vs. Brown/Kisner -115
McNealy/Bramlett -122 vs. Werenski/Uihlein -108
Grace/Varner III -125 vs. Frittelli/Streelman -105
Horschel/Burns -125 vs. Grace/Varner III -105
Willett/Hatton -150 vs. Frittelli/Streelman +120
Willett/Hatton -125 vs. Horschel/Burns -105
Bradley/Steele -115 vs. Frittelli/Streelman -115
Schauffele/Cantlay -170 vs. Morikawa/Wolff +135
Horschel/Burns -135 vs. Frittelli/Streelman +105
Kirk/Todd -125 vs. Grace/Varner III -105
Willett/Hatton -155 vs. Bradley/Steele +124
Watson/Scheffler -125 vs. Finau/Champ -105
Schauffele/Cantlay -180 vs. Finau/Champ +143
Rahm/Palmer -170 vs. Morikawa/Wolff +135
Schauffele/Cantlay -155 vs. Watson/Scheffler +124
Willett/Hatton -135 vs. Grace/Varner III +105
Rahm/Palmer -180 vs. Finau/Champ +143
Smith/Leishman -125 vs. Morikawa/Wolff -105
Rahm/Palmer -155 vs. Watson/Scheffler +124
Oosthuizen/Schwartzel -105 vs. Homa/Gooch -125
Brown/Kisner -115 vs. Dahmen/Griffin -115
Hovland/Ventura -122 vs. Sungjae Im/Byeong Hun An -108
Snedeker/Mitchell -115 vs. Werenski/Uihlein -115
Kokrak/Perez -150 vs. Knox/Stuard +120
McDowell/Wallace -110 vs. Kokrak/Perez -120
Rose/Stenson +110 vs. Homa/Gooch -140
Noren/Norlander -115 vs. Clark/Rooyen -115
Redman/Ryder +100 vs. NeSmith/Seiffert -130
Need to Know
This will be the fourth playing of the event using the team format and it’s the only one on Tour, so it’s a new concept to most of the field. Several pairings return from previous events, including 2019 winners Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer. Does that give them an edge in this week’s tournament? Hard to say, but it can’t hurt their chances. TPC Louisiana is a very scoreable par 72 that stretches to nearly 7,500 yards. Tee to green the layout is relatively easy for the pros with 65 percent of fairways and nearly 67 percent of greens hit in regulation. When the course became the permanent home of the Zurich Classic in 2007, and additional 100 sand traps and numerous water hazards were sprinkled about to make the layout a bit more challenging.
Zurich Classic of New Orleans Matchup Picks
Finau/Champ -120 vs. Morikawa/Wolff
It was a difficult choice to go against the young studs in this matchup, but I couldn’t rightly back the Morikawa/Wolff team based on what Wolff has – or hasn’t – done in the last few months. His game is lagging and against two consistent players in Finau and Champ, that’s not going to get it done. The big hitters will set themselves up for easy scoring opportunities and as long as one of them can stroke the flat stick this should be a win for Finau/Champ.
Brown/Kisner -115 vs. Ghim/Suh
The duo of Brown and Kisner has taken the team concept to another level. They are together again looking for a win in this event after several near misses. They lost a playoff in 2017 and held the 54-hole lead a year later. In the most recent playing of the event in 2019 they placed in a tie for fifth. The pair returns looking for that elusive victory. They may not get it, but it’s a solid bet they are in contention. And that’s enough for me to throw down on them.
Rahm/Palmer -155 vs. Smith/Leishman
The duo of Rahm/Palmer is the only one among the top six favorites to pair up at this tournament previously. And they did it in style winning the 2019 edition by three swings. They’ve been strong both individually and as a team which is why they are at the top of the odds board. I typically don’t like to back a favorite at this price, but how can you overlook what they’ve done?
Schauffele/Cantlay -155 vs. Watson/Scheffler
Just after saying I don’t typically back a favorite at such a steep price here I am again. Putting two of the most consistent players on the same team doesn’t always equate to success, but Schauffele and Cantlay can’t be ignored. They are playing together for the first time, but individually the X-man and Cantlay make up probably the best team, at least they aren’t far from it. It’s another steep price, but again winning is what matters and it beats the alternative.
Horschel/Burns -120 vs. Kirk/Todd
Horschel is the only player in the field to win the Zurich Open as an individual and as part of a team. He won the stroke-play event in 2013 and teamed with Scott Piercy to claim the team crown in 2018. Horschel’s strong iron play and short game is a nice complement to the excellent ball striking and driving of Burns and should allow the team to have success on a layout Burns is quite familiar with.
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