The Zurich Classic Is the Most Fun Event in Golf — and Here’s How to Bet It

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is unlike anything else on the PGA Tour schedule. While every other stroke-play event drops 150-plus individuals into a field to grind it out solo, the Zurich pairs up two-man teams and turns professional golf into something that actually resembles a team sport. The result is more birdies, wilder swings of momentum, better storylines — and honestly, one of the most entertaining four-day watches in golf. If you haven’t been following this event, now is the time to start. Especially if you like having a little something riding on the action.

This year’s event runs April 23-26 at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana. The Pete Dye design stretches 7,425 yards at par 72, but don’t let those numbers fool you into thinking it plays tough. Reachable par 5s, shorter par 4s, and wide landing areas make this a birdie-fest every year — which is exactly what you want in a team format. Rounds 1 and 3 are played in 4-ball (best ball), where each player hits their own ball and the team takes the lower score. Rounds 2 and 4 flip to foursomes (alternate shot), where partners take turns hitting the same ball. That format switch is where team chemistry becomes everything. The field cuts to the top 33 teams and ties after 36 holes. Weather-wise, expect sunshine Thursday, but storms are possible Friday and Saturday — which historically shakes up the leaderboard in all kinds of entertaining ways.

Storylines You Need to Know Before Betting

The most compelling narrative at the top of the board is Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, brothers teaming up for the first time at this event. Matt just won the RBC Heritage last week, playing some of the cleanest ball-striking golf on Tour right now. Alex is no slouch himself, and the brotherly chemistry that goes into alternate shot rounds could be the kind of intangible edge that’s hard to price into a betting line. The Fitzpatricks open as outright favorites at +1000 on FanDuel, which is short for a team event but reflects just how hot Matt is right now.

Right behind them is the pairing of Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry at +1200 — easily the most fun duo on the board. Lowry won this event in 2024 alongside Rory McIlroy, so he knows exactly what it takes to close here. Koepka brings three major titles of his own. Together they carry six combined major titles into Avondale, and watching two big-game players figure out alternate shot is genuinely great television. Defending champions Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak return at +1800, a fair number for a team that knows how to win on this specific stage.

For context on scoring: the highest winning total in the team era of this event was 20-under, set by Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith in 2021. In ideal conditions, double-digit scoring is the norm. When storms hit mid-round, the drama ratchets up fast.

The Best Bets This Week

Two plays stand out at prices worth getting down on before the first round tees off Thursday morning. The first is Nick Thorbjornsen and Calum Vilips at +1600. These two are Stanford teammates who finished T4 at the Zurich in their very first appearance here in 2025. That familiarity — knowing how your partner thinks, plays under pressure, and handles alternate shot — matters enormously in this format. At +1600, you’re getting a young, hungry team with proven results at this exact venue. That’s the sweet spot.

The second play is Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala at +2000. Both are explosive players who can post low numbers in best-ball conditions, and at 20/1 the return makes this worth a flier. If you’re looking for betting options on this week’s action, it’s worth checking out the Louisiana sportsbooks available in the state — some have event-specific boosts that are worth hunting for on a tournament like this.

The Fitzpatricks at +1000 are the chalk play and worth a small stake given Matt’s current form. But Thorbjornsen/Vilips and Bhatia/Theegala are where the real value lives — and having action on a couple of teams makes all four days of a team event appointment viewing in a way that’s hard to replicate with any other format on Tour. Lock in those bets, tune in Thursday, and enjoy one of the most genuinely fun weeks in professional golf.