Zurich Classic Course Preview

TPC Louisiana

TPC Louisiana, located in Avondale, just a short drive from New Orleans, is a prestigious golf course that has been hosting the Zurich Classic since 2005. Designed by the legendary Pete Dye, this magnificent course offers a unique challenge for professional golfers and an unforgettable experience for spectators. In this article, we will explore the key features of TPC Louisiana, the skill sets required for success, and delve into the rich history of the Zurich Classic. In order to select the right players for your DFS lineups, it’s crucial to understand the key statistics and how the course features that can impact player performance, and I will break all that down for you below!

The Course:

Sprawling across 250 acres of pristine wetlands, TPC Louisiana is a par-72 championship course that measures 7,425 yards from the tournament tees. The course boasts 103 bunkers, five ponds, and numerous cypress and oak trees that add to its beauty and complexity.

Some of the most notable features include:

1. Signature Holes: The 18th hole, a challenging par-5, is the signature hole of TPC Louisiana. It demands accuracy off the tee, as well as precise approach shots to navigate the water hazards and bunkers guarding the green.

2. Risk-Reward Opportunities: TPC Louisiana offers several risk-reward opportunities, such as the par-4 13th hole, where aggressive players can attempt to drive the green, but face the risk of finding water or bunkers.

3. Diverse Greens: The greens at TPC Louisiana are diverse in size and shape, with some being small and well-protected, while others are large and undulating, requiring excellent putting skills.

Tournament Set-up: 

Par: 36-36—72

Yardage: 7,425

Stimpmeter: 12

Course Statistics

Average Green Size: 5,225 sq. ft.

Number of Sand Bunkers: 106

Number of Water Hazards: 5

Number of Holes Water is in Play: 8

Greens: Poa trivialis overseed .100”
Collars: Poa trivialis overseed .260”
Approaches: Celebration bermuda .400”
Tees: TifSport bermudagrass .400”
Fairways: Celebration bermudagrass .400”
Rough: TifSport bermudagrass 2”

Additional Notes

• Warm weather will help with color and density of the non-overseeded turf grass heading into the event.

• More than 600 trees were planted since Hurricane Ida which hit in the fall of 2021.

• Recent renovations have been geared to ensuring the course drains more efficiently since most of it lies below sea level.

• Other renovations in recent years have included reducing larger fairway and greenside bunkers.

Links to DFS Army Tools

• PGA Research Station – Every single stat you could want for this week’s event!
• PGA Cheatsheets – Notes on all the viable players in the field
• PGA Domination Station – One-click Optimized Lineups in Seconds

Format

In 2017, the Zurich Classic introduced a unique two-player team format, making it the only PGA TOUR event to feature such a format. The tournament consists of 80 teams (160 players) competing over four days. The first and third rounds are played in a four-ball (best ball) format, while the second and final rounds are played in a foursomes (alternate shot) format. This exciting format adds an extra layer of strategy and camaraderie to the event, but also adds some intrigue to DFS with some strong players, paired with weaker players, and it affects the pricing, creating unique value opportunities, which I break down entirely in the PGA Cheatsheets

Keys to Success 

Strokes Gained

In DFS golf, strokes gained is one of the most important metrics for evaluating player performance. At TPC Louisiana, with its unique team format, you’ll want to focus on players who excel in the following categories:

1. Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (SG:T2G) – With a mix of long and short holes, players who perform well from tee to green will have a significant advantage.
2. Strokes Gained: Approach (SG:APP) – Accurate iron play will be crucial for navigating the large, undulating greens at TPC Louisiana.
3. Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green (SG:ARG) – A solid short game will come in handy for getting up and down when greens are missed.

Key Stats

When analyzing players for the Zurich Classic, keep an eye on these stats:

1. Greens in Regulation (GIR) – Hitting greens consistently will be important for scoring opportunities and avoiding trouble.
2. Birdie or Better Percentage (BoB%) – With the team format, making birdies (and eagles) is crucial for climbing the leaderboard.
3. Scrambling – Solid short game skills will be important for saving par and keeping momentum during the alternate-shot format rounds.

Course History

Course history can be a useful indicator of how well a player might perform at a particular event. Past winners of the Zurich Classic (since the team format began in 2017) include:

• 2022: Patrick Cantlay &Xander Schauffele
• 2021: Marc Leishman & Cameron Smith
• 2020: Cancelled COVID
• 2019: Jon Rahm & Ryan Palmer
• 2018: Billy Horschel & Scott Piercy
• 2017: Jonas Blixt & Cameron Smith

Quotes About the Course

Many golfers have praised the unique challenges and beauty of TPC Louisiana. Here are a few quotes to give you an idea of what players think:

• “I think TPC Louisiana is a great test of golf. It’s got a good mix of holes, and you really have to be on top of your game to score well.” – Justin Rose
• “The course has a great flow to it, and the greens are some of the most challenging we see all year.” – Billy Horschel
• “I really enjoy the team aspect of the Zurich Classic. It’s a unique event on the PGA Tour, and it’s always fun to compete with a partner. TPC Louisiana is a great course for this format, as it challenges you in different ways and really makes you think about each shot.” – Jon Rahm
• “The team format at the Zurich Classic is a refreshing change from the rest of the PGA Tour schedule. It’s fun to play with a partner and really brings a different energy to the event. TPC Louisiana is a challenging course that tests every aspect of your game, making it an ideal fit for this unique tournament.” – Kevin Kisner 

DFS Strategy

When constructing your DFS lineup for the Zurich Classic, consider the following tips:

1. Focus on chemistry: Look for teams with strong rapport, whether it’s through past partnerships, friendship, or shared nationalities. It’s hard to quantify but we’ve seen it be utilized to success weather with the Aussies (Smith and Leishman) or South Africans (Oosthuizen and Schwartzel)
2. Emphasize recent form: Golfers entering the tournament in good form may be more likely to perform well, even in the unique team format. Good Golfers are Good Golfers are Good Golfers.
3. Seek balanced teams: Look for teams with complementary skills, such as one player excelling off the tee and the other being a strong putter.
4. Don’t forget the format: Keep in mind that the Zurich Classic uses both best-ball and alternate-shot formats, so target teams that can excel in both styles of play.

That’s it for our Zurich Classic golf tournament preview! Best of luck with your DFS lineups, and remember, as the great Arnold Palmer once said, “Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated.” So go out there, trust your research, and most importantly, have fun!

 

Teams/Pairings:

Here is who is paired together for this tournament

On first look here are a couple of my favorite pairings that should be under the radar.

Sungjae Im/Keith Mitchell – Both have playing some really solid golf, and have decent history here. Im played with Benny An his countryman last year so interesting to see him with Mitchell.

Nicolai Hojgaard/Thorbjorn Olesen – Olesen makes his first return to the US since his peeing incident returning to Europe after the US Open. Thunderbear has tons of game and so does Hojgaard. These two countrymen have an opportunity to go low here.

Dylan Wu/Justin Lower – Two guys who are making their names known out here in their first trip to the big show. Seem to be pretty good buddies from their social media engagement. Think they may end up sneaky here.

 

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Weather:

Weather can always plays a role here, and while it can change quickly right now it appears to be fairly benign.

No rain in the forecast is a great sign, but we know that can change in a hurry. The wind looks to pick up each afternoon but won’t give either wave an advantage at this point.

Final Thoughts:

The field this week, while not stacked, is fun and it’s always interesting to see how guys do in a new format, and gives us a new challenge in DFS! I will break it all down for our VIPs with my weekly PGA Cheatsheets! Good luck this week!!

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