Team game!

Zurich Classic of New Orleans

TPC Louisiana

Avondale, Louisiana

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Fourballs and Foursomes!

Team game!

After 15 weeks, West Coast Swing, Florida Swing, WGC, the first major, elevated events and designated events, everyone can take a break this week.

Exhale.

That wasn’t the case with $20 million on the line last week at Harbour Town. Or the week before at Augusta National.

Grab a friend, Roman or countryman and have fun this week.

The better of the two balls will be in play (Fourballs) Thursday and then shots will alternate (Foursomes) on Friday. The top 33 teams and ties will return for the same order of operations in Rounds 3 and 4.

Better get low, kids! Only once in the previous five events has the winning total been higher than 22-under. Cantlay and Schauffele set the record last year on 29-under and that came with 59 and 60 on their better ball!

This event is won in the Foursomes part only if the Fourballs produced. Nobody can make up that many shots using that format, regardless of the course in play.

Go low Thursday and Saturday and hang on Friday and Sunday!

Host Course	TPC Louisiana
Yards (per official scorecard):	7,425.
Par:	72 (36-36).
Greens:	Poa Trivialis overseed; 5,225 square feet on average.
Stimpmeter:	12 feet.
Rough:	TifSport Bermuda and two inches.
Bunkers/Water Hazards/In Play	106/5/8.
Architect(s):	Pete Dye (2004).
Purse:	$8.6 million; $1.275 winner plus 400 FedExCup points EACH.
Defending Champion:	Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.
Multiple Champion(s) Entered (under 55):	Billy Horschel won this event as an individual and in the team format.
72 Hole Tournament Record:	259; Cantlay and Schauffele (-29) in 2022.
Fourballs Record (last):	59; Cantlay and Schauffele (-13) in 2022.
Foursomes Record (last):	65; Grace and Higgo; Day and Scrivener, both 2022 Round 2.
Oldest Winner:	42; Ryan Palmer (2019 with Jon Rahm).
Youngest Winner:	23; Cameron Smith (2017 with Jonas Blixt).
Fact of the Week:	Cantlay and Schauffele will look to become the first team to defend the title.

Notes:

• Field of 160 players split into 80, two-man teams.
• Top 33 teams and ties make the cut.
• Fourballs-Foursomes-Fourballs-Foursomes is the order of play over the four rounds.

Season Winners

2022-2023 Season Winners

Event	Winner
Fortinet Championship	Max Homa
Sanderson Farms Championship	Mackenzie Holmes
Shriners Children’s Open	Tom Kim
ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP	Keegan Bradley
CJ CUP at CONGAREE	Rory McIlroy
Butterfield Bermuda Championship	Seamus Power
Mayakoba Championship	Russell Henley
Cadence Bank Houston Open	Tony Finau
The RSM Classic	Adam Svensson (first TOUR win)
Sentry Tournament of Champions	Jon Rahm
Sony Open in Hawaii	Si Woo Kim
The AMERICAN EXPRESS	Jon Rahm (2)
Farmers Insurance Open	Max Homa (2)
AT&T Pebble Beach	Justin Rose
WM Phoenix Open	Scottie Scheffler
The Genesis Invitational	Jon Rahm (3)
The Honda Classic	Chris Kirk
Arnold Palmer Invitational	Kurt Kitayama (first TOUR win)
THE PLAYERS Championship	Scottie Scheffler (2)
Valspar Championship	Taylor Moore (first TOUR win)
Corales Puntacana	Matt Wallace (first TOUR win)
WGC – Dell Technologies MP	Sam Burns
Valero Texas Open	Corey Conners
Masters	Jon Rahm (4)
RBC Heritage	Matt Fitzpatrick

Recent Winners

Italics – not entered this week

Year	Winner	Notes
2022	Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele   (-29)	Set the Fourballs record. Set the 18 hole record. Set the 36 hole record. Set the 54 hole record. Led by five, another record, after 54 holes. Set the tournament record.
2021	Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman (-20)	Highest winning total. Smith became the only two-time winner in this format (two different partners).
2020
2019	Ryan Palmer and Jon Rahm (-26)	28 birdies against just two bogeys. Won by three, largest margin of victory.
2018	Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy (-27)	Posted 28 birdies as Horschel became the first to win this event as an individual and in the team format.
2017	Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt (-27)	Bogey free only got them into a playoff! Defeated Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown.

Chalk (via BetMGM)

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele (+300) – Won by just two last and set every record. Large target on the back. Scintillating form from each, minus a win.

Collin Morikawa and Max Homa (+750) – Cal Bears love fest. Probably won’t miss any GIR. Probably. First time partners.

Sungjae Im and Keith Mitchell (+1100) – Won’t miss many fairways or greens. First time partners but both making appearance No. 4 each.

Billy Horschel and Sam Burns (+1200) – Shop around as I’ve seen them at 14s. They’ll need another big ball-striking week.

Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim (+1400) – I can’t find a downside here, either. Already beaten Cantlay and Schauffele heads up in fourballs once.

Kurt Kitayama and Taylor Montgomery (+2200) – Las Vegas residents should balance each other out nicely.

Sahith Theegala and Justin Suh (+2200) – California love as well as Pepperdine and USC join forces. Don’t forget Suh has cashed in 14 of 15 this year! Ding ding!

Wyndham Clark and Beau Hossler (+2500) – Like the team above, both looking for their first TOUR victory. Clark brings the heat in the form department.

Top 10

Taylor Moore and Matthew NeSmith (+3300) – Been here, done this. Moore’s fantastic 2023 rolls on and NeSmith enjoyed some home cookin’ last week in South Carolina. T4 last year with 60 on the card.

Davis Riley and Nick Hardy (+3300) – Riley and Zalatoris T4 last year but the latter is hurt. Enter Hardy, who can give it a knock as well, but isn’t on Zala’s level.

Joel Dahmen and Denny McCarthy (+4000) – I love this combo. Should be proper ham and eggs.

Longer Shots

Use ’em wherever you see fit! All players listed are +20000 or worse and are for a reason or two!

Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker (+8000) – Captain my captain.

Ryan Gerard and Ben Griffin (+9000) – UNC homies.

Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard (+15000) –  GUT FEELING.

David Lingmerth and Jonas Blixt (+20000) – How Swede it would be. I’ll get my coat.

Have fun this week. Enjoy the low scoring on Thursday and Saturday and the pain and suffering of alternate shot on Friday and Sunday!

Last Week – RBC Heritage

Big field delivered again! Fitzpatrick wasn’t in the top 11 selections but I made sure he was noted!

Chalk (via BetMGM)

Scottie Scheffler (+850): Unless one of his arms falls off he’s probably going to contend weekly. Interestingly enough, the last time he didn’t factor was Congaree (T45) last October in the state of South Carolina. T11 as he keeps his amazing streak of T12 or better rolling to 12 consecutive events.

Jon Rahm (+900): There’s a reason he isn’t the favorite this week, folks! He should be out of gas by the turn on Friday and playing him to MC the cut this week would be my angle. It’s truly not about the money for the upper-echelon guys. T15 as he found his 6th gear with 64, the round of the day, on Friday. Didn’t mail it in. Stud.

Patrick Cantlay (+1200): Gives me that Scheffler vibe of GOLF ROBOT. If he’s in the field, he’ll be a nuisance unless it’s in Florida. It ain’t! Missed the playoff by a shot playing in the final threesome. 3rd alone.

Collin Morikawa (+1800): Wouldn’t surprise me if the duel on the weekend were the two California ball-strikers. Morikawa’s lack of length won’t be the difference this week. Easy greens to putt won’t hurt either. I’ll be putting him in all of my adjusted lineups from today. Keep trying to convince myself he can putt overseed. 68th in putting this week. T31. Just so dumb.

Jordan Spieth (+2000): Won’t be fresh like last year as he rolled to victory lane after MC at the Masters. Go watch his presser from after his round on Sunday and get back to me. His greatest gift is just going out and playing. That might set him free this week or he, as the interview might provide the clue, is dead out of gas. It’s your money! Free it set him! Lost a playoff that he should have won twice. Brutal P2.

Cameron Young (+2000): It’s not “if” but when. This week is as good as any. First time he played the event last year he opened with 63 and closed with 66. That any good? Gotta put more than one round in the 60s here, fella. T48 GIR led to T51 on the money. Damp fart.

Viktor Hovland (+2200): Record at Pebble speaks for itself! Short game can make me queasy though…Only missed 15 GIR (T2) for the week! Opened with 64 but threw it all away with 78 on Saturday. T59.

Xander Schauffele (+2200): I’ll save him for the Zurich, if he’s playing with Cantlay again. Seems a bit unfair that pairing! Solo fourth with three rounds of 67 or better.

Tony Finau (+2500): Prefer a bigger ballpark where he can use his strength, his power, to his advantage. T31.

Justin Thomas (+2500): Remember, if you play him every week, he will win at some point and you’ll be a genius. His short game suggests he’ll contend, if it’s on point. Finding the targets off the tee and into the green will be the separator. T25 with three good rounds. T34 Fairways and T23 GIR.

Sungjae Im (+2500): Similar to Morikawa, he should enjoy that he won’t have to rip driver all week to keep up. Super iron player. Delivered again with T7.

Top 10/Top 20/Top 40

Matt Fitzpatrick (+2800): Healthy, top 10 last week, and playing here for the ninth time. WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

Shane Lowry (+3000): Too many top 10s here in the last four to ignore. Went close in 2019 (T3), T9 in 2021 and T3 last year. He won’t miss as many short ones this week as he did at Augusta National! He missed more short ones! Go get a vacation, big fella! T67.

Russell Henley (+4500): Careful, here. Hasn’t had back-to-back top 10 paydays since the fall of 2020. T19 after opening with 72.

Matt Kuchar (+4500): All you can get. T19 as he ran out of gas on Sunday (71).

JT Poston (+6000): I don’t like this number but I love the form and course history. MC on 70-71.

Longer Shots

Use ’em wherever you see fit! All players listed are +20000 or worse and are for a reason or two!

Taylor Montgomery (+10000): Super, super putter. Now, about the rest of his game…MC.

Denny McCarthy (+12500): Love the number and him on Bermuda. T25. Super solid.

Wyndham Clark (+12500): Hot as a match. T29.

Matt Wallace (+14000): Too many wins and plenty too well to be all the way down here. Dead. Fucking. Last.

Sam Ryder (+15000): Proper grinder. 71-71 MC.

Patrick Rodgers (+22500): Flashed in San Antonio. T19 backed it up.

Erik van Rooyen (+35000): Won’t win but T10, T21 last two visits. Add T10-T21 and MC.

OAD – 2023 Spotter’s Game

Already Burned

Sungjae Im – Maui

Tom Kim – Sony

Tom Hoge – AMEX

Viktor Hovland – Pebble

Xander Schauffele – WMPO

Max Homa – Riviera

Shane Lowry – Honda

Tyrrell Hatton – API

Akshay Bhatia – PRO

Jason Day – THE PLAYERS

Justin Rose – Valspar

Cam Percy – Corales

Scottie Scheffler – WGC MP

Rickie Fowler – Valero

Jordan Spieth – Masters

Collin Morikawa – RBC Heritage

Last Week – 55th RBC Heritage

Collin Morikawa – T31

All of the other really good guys played well! What a stupid I am.

Others to consider: Matt Kuchar, Shane Lowry, Patrick Cantlay

This Week – Zurich Classic of New Orleans

MY CHOICE: Billy Horschel

I’m going back to the brand, Horses for Courses. Burns will carry the freight this week but I expect Horschel to pop back to life in a city and on a course he loves.

Others to consider: Keith Mitchell, Si Woo Kim, Nick Taylor