Tyrrell Hatton is ranked 8th in the world and Willett is a former Masters champ
NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 7, 2021)—The British duo of Tyrrell Hatton and Danny Willett will partner in the 2021 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
“We love having international players and past Ryder Cuppers here for team play, and Tyrrell and Danny fit that profile,” said Worthy.
Both players have won only once in the U.S., but both took prestigious titles—Willett won the Masters in 2016 and Hatton won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2020.
However, both have won six times on international tours, and both have made European Ryder Cup teams. Hatton played the Ryder Cup in 2018 and Willett in 2016.
Hatton’s best finishes this season in the U.S. have been a tie for third in the CJ Cup and a tie for seventh in the Vivint Houston Open.
Last season, in addition to his win at Bay Hill, he posted nine top-25 and six top-10 finishes in only 11 tournaments played in the U.S. He finished seventh in the season-ending TOUR Championship to take seventh place overall in FedExCup standings.
He earned Special Temporary Membership in 2017 on the strength of three consecutive top-10 finishes in the early part of the season.
In his abbreviated career playing on the PGA Tour, Hatton has scored 20 top-10 finishes in only 76 starts since 2013.
He has tied for fifth and sixth in The Open Championship, tied for sixth in the U.S. Open and tied for tenth twice in the PGA Championship.
Willett won the Masters in 2016 after tying for third in two World Golf Championships events that season. His best finish this season was an eighth in the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship.
In addition to winning the Masters in 2016, he also collected three top-10 finishes in only nine starts on the PGA Tour that season.
That year he also made the European Ryder Cup team, won all three of his matches in the Eurasia Cup and competed for Great Britain in the Olympics.
Before turning pro, he won the English Amateur in 2007 and represented Great Britain and Ireland at the Walker Cup, which the American team won by only one point at Royal County Down in Northern Ireland. That American team included Rickie Fowler, Billy Horschel, Dustin Johnson, Chris Kirk, Webb Simpson and Kyle Stanley.
With the addition of Hatton, ranked 8th, the Zurich Classic field now includes half of the top 10 players in the world.
Hatton and Willett join several other high profile teams previously announced to play the 2021 Zurich Classic including:
· Defending champion Jon Rahm, ranked 3rd in the world, with Ryan Palmer, ranked 26th.
· Collin Morikawa, ranked 4th in the world, with Matthew Wolff, ranked 23rd.
· Xander Schauffele, ranked 6th in the world, with Patrick Cantlay, ranked 10th.
· Billy Horschel, ranked 17th in the world, with former LSU All-American Sam Burns.
· Tony Finau, ranked 13th in the world with Cameron Champ.
The Zurich Classic is the only team tournament on the PGA TOUR season. Since launching the team format in 2017, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans has drawn some of the highest ranking fields for any regular-season tournament on the PGA TOUR.
About Fore!Kids Foundation:
Since 1958, the Fore!Kids Foundation has raised money to fund children’s service organizations through golf events like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, The Holiday Auction Fore!Kids and several charitable golf tournaments. As a 501(c)(3) corporation, Fore!Kids has helped to raise more than $40 million to date for children’s charities in metro New Orleans and Baton Rouge. More information at http://www.forekidsfoundation.com.
Despite the cancellation of the 2020 tournament, Zurich Insurance donated funds to the Fore!Kids Foundation to make $1.5 million in contributions to area non-profits, the same amount as the year before.
About the Zurich Classic of New Orleans:
Televised in more than 224 countries and territories, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans generates a significant economic impact on the city of New Orleans and the entire state of Louisiana. Independent research has shown that the tournament generates spending of more than $40 million within the local economy and garners $33 million in positive national and international media exposure for both the city and state throughout the year beyond the four days of competition.
The tournament will be played April 19-25, 2021 at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. Purse for 2021 totals $7.4 million, with each member of the winning team earning $1,069,300.
Day-specific grounds tickets are only $35. In addition, the Best of the Zurich Class Pass offers a variety of dishes from some of New Orleans most famous restaurants at four locations across the TPC course. Additional ticket options are available by calling the Tournament Office at 504-342-3000 or online at www.zurichgolfclassic.com.