|
An established PGA Tour event since the late 1950s, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans changed to a pairs format in 2017. A field of 160 players (80 two-man teams) play fourballs in rounds one and three and foursomes in rounds two and four. TPC Louisiana plays host again and it’s a 7,425-yard track with water in play on eight of the holes. The last five strokeplay editions of the event were won with scores of -15, -22, -19, -20 and -19 so it was always a track where birdies were needed. In the first years of pairs, Jonas Blixt & Cameron Smith beat Scott Brown & Kevin Kisner in a play-off after both teams had shot 27-under while Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy took the title last year with 22-under. Angles to consider 1/ Par breakers Birdies and eagles (there are four par fives) are needed in abundance at TPC Louisiana this week so Par breakers (a measure of both) is a good stat to check. Make a string of pars and you’ll be standing still. 2/ Pete Dye form TPC Louisana is one of the famous architect’s creations and we’ve seen a couple in recent times with TPC Sawgrass hosting the Players Championship and Harbour Town the venue for last week’s RBC Heritage. Dye’s courses have difficult visuals from the tee and plenty of hazards. 3/ Course form Billy Horschel and Jason Dufner were both winners of the Zurich Classic in its regular strokeplay days so it was interesting to note that last year Horschel’s team took victory and Dufner’s was runner-up. Despite the very different format, it seems that past course form is a good indicator. Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Russell Knox & Brian Stuard Stuard won the last strokeplay event to be held at TPC Louisana in 2016 while Knox’s only win on American soil came at TPC River Highlands so that’s a nice mix of course form and Pete Dye form. Current form is there too as Stuard has banked a top four and three other top 20s in his last six starts. Knox, meanwhile, finished T7 in this event last year. Charley Hoffman & Nick Watney Hoffman finished tied fifth and tied 11th in his last two strokeplay starts at TPC Louisiana and carried that course form to the pairs format in 2017 when again making the top five. His partner that year? Nick Watney. This venue will always have special memories for Watney as it was the scene of his first win on the PGA Tour. Jon Rahm & Ryan Palmer Both Rahm and Palmer are in the top 20 for Par Breakers on the PGA Tour this year and no other team taking part can say that. Rahm was the 54-hole leader at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass recently while Palmer has a pair of top fours on this course (one in strokeplay and one in the team format). Tips: 1-2; +15.20pts 1pt e.w. Russell Knox & Brian Stuard at 66/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) 22nd 1pt e.w. Charley Hoffman & Nick Watney at 40/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) 9th 1pt e.w. Jon Rahm & Ryan Palmer at 16/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) 1st
|
