2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Betting Preview, Odds, Picks & Predictions

Sunday at the RBC Heritage ended in a 3-hole playoff between last year’s champion Jordan Spieth and current US Open champion, Matthew Fitzpatrick. It seemed for a moment after a few missed putts, the playoff would continue for a while but Fitzpatrick stuck his approach on the third playoff hole close and drained the putt for his first win of the season and second in his career. 

It’s always a great Sunday on tour when we get a few extra holes of free golf and we may have more in store this weekend for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, which has finished in playoffs two of the last five finishes.

2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

• April 20-23, 2023
• TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana
• Purse: $8,600,000
• FedExCup Points: 800 per team
• Defending Champions: Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is one of the more unique tournaments in the PGA season. The tournament debuted in 1938 but not at all in the format we see today, which was changed in 2017.

The field is composed of 80 two-player teams, with two different formats being played over the four-day tournament. In Rounds 1 and 3, four-ball is played, while Rounds 2 and 4 feature foursomes.

Four-ball consists of the players on each team playing their own ball and the team recording the best of the two scores. Foursomes is another word for alternate shot — one team member teeing off even numbered holes and the other owning odd numbered holes. There is a cut after the first two rounds down to the top 33 teams and ties.

The weather this week could play a factor with storms forecasted late Friday into early Saturday. With the storms and location come steady winds all week and temps ranging from high 60s to low 80s.

What Course Is the Zurich Classic of New Orleans Held At?

TPC Louisiana has hosted the Zurich Classic since it opened in 2004. The course was designed by Pete Dye and is located in the wetlands of the Mississippi River Delta on a massive plot of land spanning more than 250 acres. The course blends with its natural surroundings making it hard to see where one begins and the other ends. 

The course measures in at 7,425 yards, par 72 and is dotted with more than 100 bunkers of every shape and size alongside huge ponds and waste bunkers. It will require pinpoint accuracy and quite a bit of strategy when it comes to playing as a team.

There will be plenty of chances for scoring, as the course has five sub-405 yard par 4s. The average scores of the last five winning teams have averaged just under -25.

How To Watch the Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Thursday: 3:00-6:00 p.m. Golf Channel

Friday: 3:00-6:00 p.m. Golf Channel

Saturday: 1:00-3:00 p.m. Golf Channel; 3:00-6:00 p.m. CBS

Sunday: 1:00-3:00 p.m. Golf Channel; 3:00-6:00 p.m. CBS

How To Listen To the Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Thursday: 1:00-6:00 p.m. Sirius XM

Friday: 1:00-6:00 p.m. Sirius XM

Saturday: 1:00-6:00 p.m. Sirius XM

Sunday: 1:00-6:00 p.m. Sirius XM

Payouts for the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

The total purse of the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans is $8,600,000. The winners receive 400 FedEx Cup points each, but due to the formatting of the tournament, no Official World Golf Ranking points will be awarded.

The champions also receive a two season exemption on the PGA Tour, as well as inclusion to the 2023 PGA Championship, the 2024 Sentry Tournament of Champions and the PLAYERS Championship. Below is the total paid to the teams.

How many Golfers are in the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans?

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans field is set at 160 golfers paired in teams of two. There is a slight drop in the talent pool this week after two straight weeks of the best of the best teeing it up — 16 of the top 50 Official World Golf Ranking players are teeing it up this week.

Who has the Best Odds of Winning the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans?

Currently leading the odds to win the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans are last year’s champions and massive favorites, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (+300), followed by Collin Morikawa and Max Homa (+700) with Billy Horschel and Sam Burns (+1100) rounding out the top 3.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans Past Winner

2022 Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (-29)

2021 Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith (2) (−20) 

2020 Canceled due to COVID-19

2019 Ryan Palmer and Jon Rahm (−26)

2018 Billy Horschel (2) and Scott Piercy (−22)

PGA Best Bets Today – Thursday, April 13, 2023

Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay Tournament Winner | +300 at BetMGM

The odds on this pairing are currently in a downward tailspin but for good reason. Both Patrick and Xander are playing incredibly well as of late, finishing third and fourth in the RBC Heritage last week. They’re also No. 4 and No. 5 respectively in the Official World Golf Rankings.

They also played together in the last Presidents cup where they went 6-3-0. Did I mention they beat the course record on their way to last year’s 2-stroke victory? If their current form continues no reason they shouldn’t be hoisting the trophy and championship belts come Sunday.

Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim Tournament Winner | +1400 at BetMGM

If you are looking for a little more juice, this dynamic duo was featured together in the last Presidents Cup and were far and away the anchors of the International team and even beat the aforementioned dominant Schauffele/Cantlay team.

Tom has never played and Si Woo has not played since 2019 but with the experience each gained playing together in the last Presidents Cup, they have the ability to go low and win this week.

Top Five Finishes Picks:

Morikawa/Homa | +130 at BetMGM

Theegala/Suh | +350 at BetMGM

Kityama/Montgomery | +375 at BetMGM

Morikawa and Homa will be representing Cal Berkeley and SoCal for the week. The team has been playing as well individually as anyone in the field this week. They rank 13th and 7th in the Official World Golf Rankings and are the highest ranked pair outside of the current favorites.

Top Ten Finishes Picks:

Burns/Horschel | +120 at BetMGM

N Taylor/Hadwin | +250 at BetMGM

Im/Mitchell | +100 at BetMGM

Burns and Horschel played well enough as a team last year to finish runner with a score that would have tied the former course record. Horschel has won this tournament twice previously but his current form has deterred me from putting these guys higher but experience should land them in the top 10 this week.