Following the Masters and the Signature RBC Heritage, the PGA Tour presents us this week with the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the only team event on the season long schedule. Also this week, LIV Golf returns from a three week hiatus to hold what some call their “Super Bowl,” LIV Adelaide.
The Zurich Classic, held once again at TPC Louisiana, is a full field team event with 80 teams (160 golfers). Thursday the teams will play Four Ball (each competitor plays their own ball and the lower score for the team counts as the team score). Friday the teams will play Foursomes (alternate shot with one ball played per team and that ball represents the team score per hole). Following Friday the field is cut to the low 33 teams and ties. Saturday is Four Ball and the final round on Sunday is Foursomes. Both members of the winning team earn a two year winner’s status on tour as well as invitations to the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the Players Championship and the PGA Championship.
The 80 top golfers who committed to the event are entitled to select their partner (who must have some type of status on tour unless given a sponsor’s exemption). The favorites are Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. Some other interesting teams include the Fitzpatrick brothers, the Hojgaard brothers, the Coody brothers and Rory McIlroy/Shane Lowry.
The pre-tournament story to watch, however, is that of Eric Cole and 65 year old Russ Cochran. Cochran’s first PGA Tour start was 43 years ago and his lone victory came in 1991. Going into this week he has made 599 career starts. Cochran’s son caddies for Cole and Cole “…thought it would be pretty cool to get him his 600th.”
LIV returns to Adelaide, Australia for what last year won the “Best Event” at the World Golf Awards. The popular event in Australia begins Friday (overnight Thursday in North America). The host course is the Grange Golf Club and LIV will be playing their shotgun start event on a composite course measuring 6,946 yards. In addition to DJ’s and bands, the highlight will be the Par 3, 12th hole known as “the Watering Hole”. A smaller version of the PGA Tour’s Stadium hole at the Waste Management, it should provide many highlights.
I won’t be making any wagers this week as the Zurich can be a crap shoot. Teams can break 60 in the four ball rounds and struggle to make par during foursomes. For my One and Done this week I’ll be rolling with Maverick McNealy and Tom Hoge. Good luck to all and enjoy the weekend of golf.
