The PGA Tour stops in the Big Easy this week for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans where Justin Rose defends his title. Likely a casualty of the Olympic scheduling this year, the field at the Zurich is lacking any discernable depth.
Of those in the top-10, Jason Day and Rickie Fowler are endorsed by Zurich and Rose is last year’s winner. Further proof of just how schedule-screwed the event is, only seven other players inside the top-50 are in New Orleans.
Jason Day the first No. 1 player at New Orleans since …. who?
— Doug Ferguson (@dougferguson405) April 26, 2016
The guys will be playing their second consecutive Pete Dye design — last week at Harbour Town, this week at TPC Louisiana — and they’ll have another in two weeks at the Players Championship. Don’t be surprised if a few horses emerge heading into the PGA Tour’s flagship event.
What The Experts Are Saying
Jeff Sherman of GolfOdds.com and the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has set the Big Three this week as the odds-on favorites. Day is 5/1, Rose is 8/1 and Fowler is 10/1. The next tier includes Billy Horschel and Charley Hoffman at 20/1, Daniel Berger at 25/1 and Smylie Kaufman and Chris Kirk at 30/1.
Rob Bolton at PGATour.com set his Power Rankings as follows: 1. Day, 2. Rose, 3. Fowler, 4. Kirk, 5. Berger, 6. Horschel, 7. David Hearn, 8. Charles Howell III, 9. Kaufman, 10. Hoffman, 11. Jamie Lovemark, 12. Morgan Hoffmann, 13. Russell Henley, 14. Patton Kizzire, 15. Ricky Barnes.
Pat Mayo at RotoExperts.com likes the safe plays of Day, Fowler and Rose, but also taps Jamie Donaldson, Hearn, Horschel, Cameron Tringale and Steve Stricker.
Lastly, Steve Bamford at Golf Betting System is backing Horschel, Kirk, Berger and Roberto Castro.
Horses For Courses
Here’s how guys have fared recently in this tournament, via Golf Betting System:
One and Done
Billy Horschel
Used: Jimmy Walker, T10 (Hyundai); Brandt Snedeker, P2 (Sony); Patrick Reed, T56 (CB Challenge); Jamie Lovemark, T31 (Farmers); Bubba Watson, T14 (Phoenix); Phil Mickelson, 2 (Pebble); Charl Schwartzel, T45 (NTO); Sergio Garcia, 2 (Honda); Justin Rose, T17 (Cadillac); Ryan Moore, 3 (Valspar); Henrik Stenson, T3 (Bay Hill); Scott Brown, T5 (Puerto Rico); Paul Casey (Match Play); Louis Oosthuizen, MC (Shell); Rory McIlroy, T10 (Masters); Matt Kuchar, T48 (Heritage).
Winnings: $3,660,178
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