Horses for Courses: Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry seek unprecedented back-to-back at Zurich Classic of New Orleans

TPC Louisiana welcomes 80 teams highlighted by reigning champions Rory McIlroy/Shane Lowry (+360) back to the New Orleans area for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The Irish duo became the second consecutive champions to lift the trophy on debut and would become the first pair to defend the title successfully. The Ryder Cup teammates made enough putts, leading the field with 30 birdies, and posted 25 under for the week to force (and win) a playoff.

The tournament scoring record was set in 2023 by the combination of 20-somethings Davis Riley/Nick Hardy (+7000). The pair secured their first victory on the PGA TOUR by posting 30 under across the Four-ball and Foursomes format. Signing for rounds of 64 and 63 on the par-72 layout in Four-ball would usually be an afterthought, but posting 13 under (66-65) in the alternate-shot Foursomes format is where they created the two-shot separation to win. Running it back in 2024, they signed for four more rounds at 70 or better and cashed T-28.

Birdie or Better Percentage

Players listed below are competing this week; 2025 ranking as of April 21.

Going low in the bayou is required this week. The tournament saw a new record in 2022 at 29 under and was bettered in 2023 at 30 under before fading to 25 under in 2024. The winning score has been 25 under or better in five of the seven team events in the bayou. The worst two winning totals are 20 under in 2021 and 22 under in 2018. Four par-5 holes never hurt, and neither does the team format. Once your partner is in for par, the green light shines brightly, and not many putts will come up short in Four-ball. In Foursomes, while the scoring is relatively muted, anything in the 60s should push pairs up the leaderboard in Rounds 2 and 4.

The Canadian pair of Adam Hadwin/Nick Taylor (+3500) tee it up for the third consecutive season. On debut in 2023, they closed with 63 in Four-ball, equaling the event record, and cashed solo second. They opened the 2024 edition with three rounds in the 60s before a final-round 71 in Four-ball knocked them to a share of 10th place.

Charley Hoffman/Nick Watney (+17000), who are making their eighth consecutive start, are the only dynamic duo to play every event. No pair of teammates will be more familiar with the format or course layout. Watney won this event on his own ball in 2007, and Hoffman has cashed T19 or better in seven of his last nine visits, regardless of format. As a pair, they own four paydays of T11 or better in seven visits.

Bogey Avoidance

Players listed below are competing this week; 2025 ranking

Pete Dye will tempt and taunt the players who do not have the patience. Littered with 106 bunkers and eight water penalty areas, 2 inches of Bermuda rough is usually the better option, even if it means taking the longer route. Contending teams cannot have multiple crooked numbers on the scorecard for the week. My tiebreaker this week would be leaning on veteran players who understand when to step on the gas and apply the brakes.

Cashing third in 2024, Ryan Brehm/Mark Hubbard (+25000) will join forces for the third time in four seasons. The pair debuted in 2022 and sat at 20 under after 54 holes before a round of even-par 72 on Sunday stopped their run at T-14. Last year, they signed for 19 under in Four-ball and posted three of four rounds at 70 or better.

Notables

• The field of 160 players includes 80 two-man teams and 17 players of the top 50 from the Official World Golf Rankings.
• Three of the seven previous team editions required playoffs, including two of the last three.
• The scoring average of 69.351 in 2024 is the lowest April number since replacing the putting surfaces in 2016.
• The Four-ball scoring record of 59 was set by Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele in 2022.
• Cantlay/Schauffele (2023), Nick Taylor/Adam Hadwin (2023) and Chad Ramey/Martin Trainer shared the Four-ball record of 63.
• The low 33 teams and ties play the final 36 holes.

Oddsmaker’s extras (partner, odds)

Aaron Rai (Sahith Theegala, +2200): Paired with David Lipsky (with Dylan Wu this year) over the last three seasons, the man with two gloves cashed T23 (2024), T13 (2023) and T4 (2022).

Taylor Moore (Wyndham Clark; +2200): With partner Matt NeSmith, Moore debuted with T4 (2022) and followed it up with another T4 (2023) before they missed the cut together in 2024.

Chad Ramey (Justin Lower; +8000): After losing in a playoff in 2024 and sharing ninth in 2023, the Mississippi man changes out Martin Trainer for Lower to, ahem, go lower. I’ll get my coat.

Wyndham Clark (Taylor Moore; +2200): Before sitting out last year’s edition, the 2023 U.S. Open champion was trending nicely at TPC Louisiana, T17-T10-T3, and he did so with three different partners. Moore makes his fifth running mate in five attempts.

Keith Mitchell (J.T. Poston; +1600): Making his fifth start, his best two paydays (T4 in 2021 and sixth in 2023) came with two different partnerships. All five previous starts came with a new partner.

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