Zurich Classic 2022 Overview
The 2022 Zurich Classic. The fifth edition of the Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana is the PGA TOUR’s only two-man team event, making evaluating the Zurich Classic odds a unique challenge.
Since switching to a team format in 2017, the event has been enhanced and has been a huge success. With four-balls (Best Ball) on Thursday and Saturday and foursomes (Alternate Shot) on Friday and Sunday, the tournament format lends itself to great viewing.
With the market’s shape and the tournament’s unpredictability, bettors may not feel as confident or optimistic. However, course form should be revisited, and players with proven results here and on Pete Dye designs can tag-team their way to the top of the leaderboard.
I will be looking to players who are showing signs of current form, particularly paying attention to T2G performance of recent weeks and Approach play. Going to have to make plenty of birdies this week and having the backbone of your game in shape will be crucial.
TPC Louisiana is a Pete Dye-designed 7,400-yard Par-72 course in Avondale, Louisiana. If TPC courses are known for their entertainment, Pete Dye courses are known for their emphasis on positional angles off the tee and around the green. There are some persistent bunkers and some fun, random hazards, such as trees in the centre of the fairway with Dye’s hands all over them, but there are also plenty of scoring opportunities on this course. The greens at TPC Louisiana are Bermuda with Poa overseed. It’s a great course for this type of event. The players who team up well on Friday & Sunday in the foursomes format will have a improved chance of success.
Format
In Four-Ball play, each player on each team will play his own ball for the duration of the round, with the best score on each hole recorded. For instance, on the first hole, both golfers from each team tee off. Player A pars the hole, while Player B makes a birdie. The team will be awarded a birdie.
Tee shots will be rotated during Foursomes play. One player will hit tee shots on all of the odd-numbered holes, while the other will hit tee shots on all of the even-numbered holes. Player A and Player B are partners, for example. Player A tees off on the first hole; Player B plays the second shot; Player A plays the third shot; and so on until the ball is holed.
- Thursday: Four-Ball
- Friday: Foursomes
- Saturday: Four-Ball
- Sunday: Foursomes
While running models and predictions this week will prove difficult we do have some stats and correlating course to look at in an attempt to breakdown the possible winners. Stay tuned in below for my keys skill sets required and those all important outright selections.
Key Skills Set Required
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- Pete Dye designed course form – Austin Country Club – WGC Dell Matchplay since 2016 ,Crooked Stick – 2012 and 2016 BMW Championship, Ocean Course – Kiawah Island – 2012 PGA Championship, TPC River Highlands – The Travelers, TPC Louisiana – Zurich Classic of New Orleans, TPC Sawgrass – The Players Championship, TPC Stadium, PGA West – The American Express since 2016 and Whistling Straits – 2010 and 2015 PGA Championship to name just a few.
- SG T2G – The foundations required to be successful on technical tests like this start with SG T2G performance. I like to look at the last 24, 36 rounds to understand which players are playing clean golf from the tee box to the green. Harbour Town will test players off the tee and with their approach shots and the best T2G players on the week will climb that leaderboard. Those playing best T2G should have plenty of birdie opportunities in the fourball format.
- GIR gained – Players who play the percentages by hitting high percentage of GIR can thrive in all formats of team golf especially in the foursomes format on Friday and Sunday. Players who are constantly hitting their targets can be dangerous in this format.
- Par 4 Birdies or Better – The fourball format played on Thursday & Saturday will demand birdies for the players. We want to look at those players who have it dialled in with there iron play creating plenty of opportunities. Players who excel on Pete Dye tracks should be given extra respect as his courses have similar tendencies.
- SG Putting – The team format this week will certainly put an emphasis on putting in any type of match play whether that be fore-balls or foursomes putting plays a significant factor. Weaknesses in other areas of the game can be covered up by an incredible putting performance. When building a portfolio this week we want to consider teams who have lots of upside in their putting potential.
