Zurich Classic Power Rankings

The most unique event on the PGA Tour calendar is upon us 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 isn’t the most taxing course for PGA Tour professionals, but with water in play on seven of the holes, solid ball-striking is required, as well as comfort on Bermuda greens.

Three of the par-3s and two of the par-5s are on odd-numbered holes, so there’s strategy required before playing a shot, perhaps with the better ball-striker teeing off on the odd holes and the better putter handed the flat stick to take advantage of scoring opportunities.

Winning scores have varied between -20 and -30 since moving to a team format, though scores in the mid-to-high-20s are typically required for victory.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry won in a play-off two years ago before Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak triumphed in 2025.

Sandwiched between two majors and three Signature Events, it’s very much a secondary event this year with Matt Fitzpatrick heading the field.

The Englishman is back in action alongside brother Alex after winning the RBC Heritage last week with the pair topping our Power Rankings, but who else makes the top five? Find out below

5 - Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak

After a breakout season in which Ben Griffin won three times on the PGA Tour, things have been much more challenging this year. The 29-year-old hasn’t finished in the top 20 in his last nine events, with his best result being the T19 at the season-opening Sony Open.

But it’s worth keeping in mind that Griffin’s form was hardly exemplary prior to his Zurich Classic win in 2025. After a pair of T4s at the Mexico Open and Cognizant Classic, Griffin has two missed cuts and just one finish better than T40.

Andrew Novak, to his credit, was coming off the back of a play-off loss to Justin Thomas at the RBC Heritage, but one half of last year’s winners did just finish T16 at Harbour Town and was just two shots back of Scottie Scheffler going into Sunday before finding water off the 10th tee and three-putting from less than six feet.

4 - 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 and third alongside Beau Hossler in 2023.

The duo united last year in what looked like an ideal pairing. Both long hitters with solid short games, there was a very high ceiling between Moore and Clark, yet a poor round in foursomes saw them surprisingly miss the cut.

Clark has been battling an ice-cold putter this year, but did find a little something at Augusta en route to a T21 finish and was better still at the RBC Heritage, finishing T16 despite a couple of water balls on Saturday.

If the pair can find a way to take advantage of Clark’s improving iron play and Moore’s putting, they should fare much better than they did 12 months ago.

3 - Ryan Gerard and Sudarshan Yellamaraju

Over the last 12 months, Ryan Gerard has developed into an elite iron player, underpinned by solid, consistent driving. Gerard has gained strokes on approach in seven of his last eight starts, gaining at least 0.98 SG:APP in six of his 10 starts this season. He’s improving with the putter too, also gaining strokes in six of his 10 starts.

Playing with Danny Walker last season, Gerard teams up with the in-form Sudarshan Yellamaraju this time following David Ford’s withdrawal.

The Canadian Korn Ferry Tour graduate sent his first shot out of bounds at the RBC Heritage but played some nice golf from there, making plenty of birdies in rounds two and four, coming on the back of a T5 at the Players (also played on a Pete Dye course), a T6 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open and a T14 at the Valero Texas Open.

A good ball-striker and putter, Yellamaraju should complement Gerard nicely.

2 - Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka

With Rory McIlroy opting to keep himself fresh for the upcoming Signature Events and majors and Brooks Koepka needing to play as many regular PGA Tour events as he can, Shane Lowry finds himself with a new partner.

Koepka hasn’t played TPC Louisiana since 2019, but does have a T5 finish alongside brother Chase from 2017.

For the second consecutive year, Lowry found himself in the mix at Augusta going into Sunday, only to fail to break 80 once again. While the final round was of course disappointing, there were positives to take from the week ater a poor run of form from the Irishman.

Koepka admitted he was too aggressive when missing the cut at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, but the five-time major winner has four straight top-20s when ignoring the visit to Memorial Park, and the duo are ones to watch this week.

1 - Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Fitzpatrick

One of the form players in the world right now, Matt Fitzpatrick, heads to TPC Louisiana with little brother Alex in tow.

Matt’s last few weeks have seen him lose the Players Championship on the 72nd hole before bouncing back to win the Valspar Championship, deal with a cold putter at Augusta to finish T18 and beat Scottie Scheffler in a play-off at the RBC Heritage.

He carried Alex last year, when Fitzpatrick Jr didn’t have his best stuff, but the 27-year-old heads to Louisiana on the back of an impressive win at the Hero Indian Open last March.