Zurich Classic of New Orleans Power Rankings

The most unique event on the PGA Tour calendar returns as the Zurich Classic of New Orleans returns to TPC Louisiana.

As of 2017, the Zurich Classic has been a team event with the first and third rounds using a four-ball format, and the second and fourth rounds using an alternate shot format.

TPC Louisiana, famed for its alligators awaiting any stray tee shots, isn't a particularly long course, and there'll be plenty of holes where driver is left in the bag to ensure water is kept out of play.

Players will need to plot their way around, but with two rounds of better-ball, teams need to be aggressive where they can in rounds one and three.

Last year, Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy required a play-off to beat Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer and they return to defend their title.

The Irish pair naturally top our Power Rankings, but who else makes the top five?

Zurich Classic tips

5 - Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama

Teaming up once again, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama will hope to improve on last year’s 23rd-place finish.

It’s fair to say Kitayama is enduring a miserable 2025, failing to finish in the top 30 in any of his 10 starts, but playing alongside Morikawa may help.

Morikawa is one of the best players in the world despite being below average in distance off the tee, and with Kitayama’s length, the pair could complement each other nicely in alternate shot.

Similarly, Kitayama might enjoy playing out of more fairways on the holes when Morikawa is teeing off.

Morikawa didn’t have a particularly fun time at Harbour Town last week, spending more time than he’d have liked in the sand – leading to a quadruple-bogey 8 in round three – but his class should tell in this field.

4 - Brice Garnett and Sepp Straka

Brice Garnett and Sepp Straka teamed up at TPC Louisiana for the first time last year and posted a solid 11th-place finish.

While Garnett isn’t in any kind of form, and even Straka has been slightly off the boil in recent weeks, they’ll be very comfortable with each other’s games.

Neither are long hitters but both supremely accurate off the tee, while Straka’s iron play this year has arguably been the best in the world.

While you wouldn’t expect too many birdies in better ball, they should be able to plot their way around in alternate shot.

3 - Thomas Detry and Robert MacIntyre

It’s not impossible we’re getting a glimpse of a Ryder Cup pairing this week between Thomas Detry and Robert MacIntyre.

Detry came 13th in 2023 but improved to eighth last time out when playing alongside MacIntyre, and the Scot is a considerably better golf than he was this time last year.

In the last 12 months, these two Europeans have combined for Canadian Open, the Scottish Open and the Phoenix Open.

Belgian Detry has gone off the boil somewhat since his Phoenix win, but MacIntyre has an 11th-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the ninth-place finish at the Players in recent weeks, and these two should go nicely this week.

2 - Taylor Moore and Wyndham Clark

Taylor Moore came fourth in 2022 and 2023 alongside Matthew NeSmith while Wyndham Clark came 10th in 2022 alongside Cameron Tringale in 2022 and third alongside Beau Hossler in 2023.

The pair now come together and should benefit from each other’s company. Both long hitters and strong putters with solid short games, there’s a very high ceiling between Moore and Clark.

While neither will expect to top any fairways in regulation stats this week and will likely make their share of bogeys in better ball, if they can time their good and bad holes well, they can take advantage in the first and third rounds and shoot very low scores.

After an underwhelming 2024, Moore is showing signs of life, and while Clark has been inconsistent this season, he’s still capable of going extremely low – an attribute that should serve him well this week.

1 - Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry

Big favourites this week, it’s hard to see McIlroy and Lowry not being there or thereabouts again come Sunday.

With two rounds of better ball, the pair have the chance to exert their dominance on the field, and with two rounds of alternate shot, their complementary games shouldn’t cause any problems.

Being good friends should also help when things aren’t going one player’s way and it’s hard not to see the two Irishmen make a tonne of birdies over the week.