2026 Zurich Classic Begins Thursday at TPC Louisiana

The 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA Tour's sole team event, begins Thursday at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana, featuring 80 two-man teams competing for a $9.5 million purse. The tournament marks a return to the par-72 layout stretching over 7,400 yards, where teams will alternate between four-ball best-ball formats in the first and third rounds and foursomes alternate-shot play in the second and fourth rounds, followed by a 36-hole cut to the top 33 teams and ties.

Defending champions Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak lead the field as they aim to become the first team to repeat since the event adopted its current format in 2017. Griffin and Novak, who won in 2025, tee off at 7:52 a.m. CDT from the 10th hole alongside Wyndham Clark and Taylor Moore. Among the top contenders, brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick enter as betting favorites, with Matt securing two victories this season, including a playoff win at the RBC Heritage, and Alex claiming his first DP World Tour title earlier this year. A win would grant Alex his PGA Tour playing privileges.

Adding intrigue, five-time major winner Brooks Koepka pairs with Shane Lowry, the 2024 champion alongside Rory McIlroy,...