PGA Preview: 2021 Zurich Classic Odds and Picks

Time for some Team Golf! Another tournament that was canceled last year due to COVID-19 is making a return to the PGA schedule. This week it’s the Zurich Classic of New Orleans which is a two-man team stroke play event.

The field consists of 80 two-man teams taking on TPC Louisiana with a team stroke play format. The event is split between the fourball format for the first and third rounds and the alternate shot format for the second and fourth rounds.

Where to Bet:Top Online Sportsbooks

You won’t see all of the big names you are accustomed to on a PGA weekend but there are always plenty of strong teams in the event starting with favorites Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer at +700.

Rahm is the highest-ranked golfer in the field, No. 3 on the Official World Golf Rankings list, and Palmer is ranked 27th. Palmer has moved up from 30th over the last few weeks due to some strong outings.

Here are the top-five favorite teams through +1400 to win the 2021 Zurich Classic of New Orleans outright according to Intertops.

Rahm / Palmer +700

Schauffele / Cantlay +750

Smith / Leishman +1000

Morikawa / Wolff +1400

Watson / Scheffler +1400

Finau / Champ +1400

How to Bet:PGA Betting Guide

2021 Zurich Classic Preview

Where: Avondale, Louisiana

Course: TPC Louisiana

Format: Team Stroke Play

Par: 72

Length: 7,425

When: April 22-25, 2021

Purse: $7.4 Million.

TV Coverage: CBS/Golf

How to Bet:Explaining PGA Props and Futures

TPC Louisiana looks long on paper but that doesn’t mean the heavy hitters in the field are going to start blasting drives off the tee just for show. First, the fairways and landing zones won’t allow that. Secondly, the alternate and best ball format will dictate how each team approaches a hole.

Sure, there will be a few instances where a team goes for the long drive gold but don’t expect it every time. An emphasis will be on second shots and putting.

Speaking of putting, a quick google maps check shows several fairly large greens. Don’t be fooled, most of the greens at TPC Louisiana have undulations and drop-offs. Reading greens will be an important skill this weekend.

2021 Zurich Classic Predictions

Rahm / Palmer +700

This is the defending winning team from the 2019 Zurich Classic. Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer beat Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia by three strokes going 26-under for the tournament. They are the favorites, and possibly the strongest team in the field. One note before you pull the trigger – the course has been reworked after a six-month renovation.

Smith / Leishman +1000

Cameron Smith was part of the winning team at the Zurich Classic back in 2017 with Jonas Blixt. This was the first year that the tournament used the team format. Now Smith is teamed up with Marc Leishman and both are coming into the tournament playing great golf. Smith has moved into the 25th spot on the OWGR and Leishman has jumped to 37th.

Horschel / Burns +2200

Billy Horschel was part of the 2018 winning team with Scott Piercy. This year he is teamed up with Sam Burns. It’s an interesting combination as both can play long off the tee but don’t rely on trying to crush drives for a highlight reel! They have a nice combination of power and finesse which could pay off this weekend.

Others I Like: If putting were better for the team of Tony Finau and Cameron Champ (+1400) then they would be at the top of my list. Both have great GIR stats but Champ has not had a reliable putter at times this season. Both Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson (+3000) have been down this… cart path… before. They’ve been a successful Ryder Cup team (2018), have been together for all of the Zurich Classics since team play was introduced, and the duo went Gold and Silver in the 2016 Olympics. Rose was the last player to win the Zurich Classic before it switched to team play.

Betting Guide:How to Bet on PGA Majors

2021 Zurich Classic Odds

Rahm / Palmer +700

Schauffele / Cantlay +750

Smith / Leishman +1000

Morikawa / Wolff +1400

Watson / Scheffler +1400

Finau / Champ +1400

Kirk / Todd +2000

Willett / Hatton +2200

Horschel / Burns +2200

Grace / Varner III +2800

Rose / Stenson +3000

Oosthuizen / Schwartzel +3300

Bradley / Steele +3300

Frittelli / Streelman +3300

Homa / Gooch +3300

Hovland / Ventura +3300

Glover / Reavie +4000

Im / An +4000

Dahmen / Griffin +4500

Brown / Kisner +5000

Pieters / Lewis +5000

Ghim / Suh +5000

Castro / Tringale +5000

Noren / Norlander +6000

Clark / Rooyen +6000

McDowell / Wallace +6000

C Hoffman / Watney +6600

Thompson / Gordon +6600

Kokrak / Perez +6600

Knox / Stuard +6600

Laird / N Taylor +6600

McNealy / Bramlett +8000

Spaun/ M Jones +8000

Snedeker / Mitchell +8000

Werenski / Uihlein +8000

Hoge / Hossler +10000

Redman / Ryder +10000

KH Lee / Stanley +10000

NeSmith / Seiffert +10000

Hearn / Power +12500

Holmes / Garrigus +12500

Garnett / Stallings +12500

Duncan / Schenk +12500

Piercy / Bhatia +12500

Straka / Teater +12500

Hadley / Martin +12500

Hojgaard / V Taylor +12500

Dufner / Bozzelli +15000

Landry / Cook +15000

Merritt / Streb +15000

Vegas / Romero +15000

Putnam / Harrington +15000

Kraft / Tway +15000

Zhang / Pan +15000

Sloan / Baddeley +15000

Hagy / M Kim +20000

Trainer / Hahn +20000

Hubbard / Cappelen +20000

Hoag / Roach +20000

Chalmers / Percy +20000

Malnati / Baker +20000

Blaum / Byrd +25000

Shelton / Hickok +25000

Higgs / Gellerman +25000

Gligic / Whaley +25000

Oppenheim / Murray +25000

Lebioda / Burgoon +25000

Campos / Anderson +25000

Van Pelt / List +25000

Every / Beljan +30000

Gibson / B Taylor +30000

Ledesma / Gomez +30000

Choi / Kang +30000

D Lee / Bae +30000

Stadler / Wagner +30000

Haas / Mahan +30000

Trahan / Barnes +30000

Wilkinson / McNeill +30000

Aphibarnrat / Atwal +30000

Austin / Mediate +100000