Weekly Preview: Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Zurich Classic of New Orleans

TPC Louisiana
Avondale, LA

The PGA Tour heads to Louisiana this week for its version of the Ryder Cup. What started out as a gimmick has become a staple on the PGA Tour, as the uniqueness of this event sets it apart from your standard Tour stop. 

The lulls between majors can wear on the average golf fan, so mixing in a wrinkle every now and then isn't such a bad idea. Sure, golf is typically played solo, but we put that aside every two years when the Ryder Cup is held, so why can't we put it aside one more time each year? Honestly, with a tournament -- and sometimes two -- held nearly every week, I'm all in favor of mixing things up. Besides, this event has produced some solid winners in its first three years as a team event. Cameron Smith, Billy Horschel, and Jon Rahm are all pretty big names, and while their partners did not bring the same level of fanfare, those players still drew plenty of eyeballs. No power duo has ever won this event, but Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood came close two years ago. Maybe that's not the level of duo you were thinking -- Garcia is past his prime and Fleetwood has never won in the U.S. -- but that's beside the point. Anything can happen this week, but expect at least one top-tier player to have half a grasp on the trophy in the end.

LAST YEAR

In 2019, Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer shot a final-round 69 on their way to a three-stroke victory over Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood.

FAVORITES

Xander Schauffele / Patrick Cantlay (8-1)

I just mentioned that a power duo has not yet won this thing, and of course, the very first team listed is a power duo. Unfortunately, half of this pair is not in good form right now. Cantlay has been off his game in recent weeks and although he's responsible for only half the shots this week, he could sink the team if he can't pull himself together. I would like to see these two in contention come Sunday, but I don't think it's going to happen. There's no value in this price, either, even if you think Cantlay will bounce back.

Jon Rahm / Ryan Palmer (8-1)

This pair should be the favorites, but the public loves the team with two of the best young players on Tour, so they've got company at the top of the list. Rahm and Palmer are the defending champs, and there's plenty reason to think they can defend. For starters, they won with a score of 26-under-par in 2019, which was three clear of the nearest team and four shots better than the previous year's winning score. In addition, Rahm has had a couple weeks to adjust to his new life as a father, and he should be ready to get back in rhythm.

Marc Leishman / Cameron Smith (12-1)

Smith won this event in 2017 while paired with Jonas Blixt. No offense to Blixt, but Leishman is a clear upgrade. There's no guarantee the new team will work out, but one thing that is working is Smith's game, which appears to be near its peak.

THE NEXT TIER

Collin Morikawa / Matthew Wolff (14-1)

This is certainly an interesting pair. These two will always be linked together -- along with Viktor Hovland -- because they all turned pro around the same time and all three made an instant splash. These two picked up their first PGA Tour wins almost immediately, and while both have had success since, Morikawa is the one who has really taken off. He is in better form right now, but Wolff can play with anyone when he's on. Perhaps Morikawa can help even out the ebbs and flows in Wolff's game.

Billy Horschel / Sam Burns (20-1)

This is another interesting pair, as one player is quite streaky and the other is more of a steadying influence. I'm talking about their games by the way, not their tempers. Horschel won this event with Scott Piercy in 2018 and they backed that up with a T13 in 2019. Piercy is not on board this year, but that shouldn't matter, as Horschel was the better of the two. If Burns gets hot, this team could be dangerous.

Max Homa / Talor Gooch (30-1)

This duo will likely slip under the radar, but it shouldn't be overlooked, as both guys have enough game to win. Homa has already won this season and Gooch has played very well in spots. As will be the case for any team that contends this week, both guys are going to have to get hot. It's just a matter of figuring out which ones are more likely than others. Homa has been more consistent this season, but Gooch is on his way up. If they get rolling, this team could surprise.

LONG SHOTS

Kevin Kisner / Scott Brown (50-1)  

This team is an example of how two players can simply flow. Brown hasn't done much of anything on Tour over the past few years, but when he's playing with Kisner, good things tend to happen. This team has the best track record of any team in the field, as they've finished top-15 in each of their three starts here. They peaked with a runner-up showing in 2017, but they also posted another top-5 in 2019. If Brown's game is decent, they should be a factor.

Doc Redman / Sam Ryder (100-1)

Redman has not played well this year, but perhaps a partner taking some pressure off is exactly what he needs. Ryder is more of weekday warrior than a weekend one, but it's possible Redman can help with that. It's not likely this team will win, but these two guys have a lot of upside between them, and perhaps not having to shoulder all the pressure will help each player fill the holes in their games.

ONE-AND-DONE LEAGUES

Highly-owned Pick: Jon Rahm / Ryan Palmer - It's tough to gauge potential ownership this week, as depending on your league, you may have to use both players or just one of the pair. In my league, you use only, so taking Palmer is a no-brainer, as you get to keep Rahm if you still have him available. If not, you can use him for a second time, provided you have not yet used Palmer.

Moderately-owned Pick: Collin Morikawa / Matthew Wolff - Sticking with the rule that you only have to use one of the two players, this is a nice team to have, as it gives you either a free shot at Morikawa or a second shot. Whatever the case, I think this team is going to play well, as Morikawa is the steadying force that Wolff needs and Wolff can provide some much-needed hot streaks.

Lightly-owned Pick: Kevin Kisner / Scott Brown - For those leagues that require you to use both players this week, this looks like an ideal option, as you won't be needing Brown down the road and Kisner is exactly the level of player you'd use for an event like this. You're banking on course history almost entirely, but as mentioned previously, this team seems to have the magic here.

Buyer Beware: Patrick Cantlay / Xander Schauffele - If your league requires you use both guys in a pairing, then there's no way you can select this team, as there's just too much firepower to burn on one lower-tier event. If you have to use just one player, it's more reasonable, but I still wouldn't do it, as Cantlay isn't playing well and that could rub off on his teammate.

Last Week: Webb Simpson - T9 - $186,375

Season Total: $3,379,138

This Week: Morikawa / Wolff - This pair has no track record in this event, and while it's certainly out of character for me to take a first-timer -- let alone two --  I just have a good feeling about this team. The only drawback is that I used Wolff last fall, which means I'll have to burn Morikawa. I'd like to save him for later in the season, but I also need to make a move now.

FANDUEL PICKS

Upper Range: Morikawa / Wolff ($11,500)
Middle Range: Horschel / Burns ($10,500)
Lower Range: Kisner / Brown ($8,900)

SURVIVOR LEAGUES

Last Week: Matt Kuchar - T18

Streak: 3

This Week: Rahm / Palmer - While I like the upside of Morikawa and Wolff, there's also some risk in the latter, so in this format I'll play it safe and go with the defending champs. I also considered Kisner/Brown in this spot, but I have no idea where Brown's game is right now, and there's no need to take a chance if I only need to use Palmer in order to roster both he and Rahm.