Spieth becomes 7th top 10 player to form team in 2017 Zurich Classic
Jordan Spieth, ranked fifth in the world, will team with Ryan Palmer for the 2017 Zurich Classic. Spieth most recently tied for 11th at the Masters, where he has won once and claimed runner-up twice in only four appearances. So far this year, he has won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and has also posted a third in the Sony Open in Hawaii and a ninth in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He currently ranks sixth in FedExCup points and fifth in earnings on the PGA TOUR.
In addition to his nine wins on the PGA TOUR, he has won the Australian Open twice, joining champions such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Greg Norman as multiple winners of that tournament. In 2015, he won the Valspar Championship, the Masters, the U.S. Open and the TOUR Championship to become ranked number one in the world. He held his top ranking for a total of 26 weeks.
Spieth has played on the last two Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams and was a member of the Walker Cup team in 2011 when he was a freshman at University of Texas. He is the only golfer besides Tiger Woods to win the U.S. Junior Amateur twice. As a freshman at Texas, he helped his team win the 2011 NCAA championship and was named All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year.
Spieth becomes 7th top 10 player in Zurich Classic
JORDAN SPIETH BECOMES SEVENTH WORLD TOP 10 PLAYER TO FORM A TEAM IN THE 2017 ZURICH CLASSIC
World’s fifth-ranked player will pair with Ryan Palmer
NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 14, 2017)—Jordan Spieth, ranked fifth in the world, becomes the seventh top 10 ranked player to enter a team in the 2017 Zurich Classic, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
Spieth, who has won nine times in less than five years on the PGA TOUR, will partner with Ryan Palmer, who has scored three TOUR victories himself.
“We are thrilled by the response from the players and the depth of the field,” said Worthy. “Our fans and television viewers will be treated to some intense and exciting golf in a format that we rarely get to see,” Worthy added.
Spieth most recently tied for 11th at the Masters, where he has won once and claimed runner-up twice in only four appearances. So far this year, he has won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and has also posted a third in the Sony Open in Hawaii and a ninth in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He currently ranks sixth in FedExCup points and fifth in earnings on the PGA TOUR.
In addition to his nine wins on the PGA TOUR, he has won the Australian Open twice, joining champions such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Greg Norman as multiple winners of that tournament. In 2015, he won the Valspar Championship, the Masters, the U.S. Open and the TOUR Championship to become ranked number one in the world. He held his top ranking for a total of 26 weeks.
Spieth has played on the last two Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams and was a member of the Walker Cup team in 2011 when he was a freshman at University of Texas. He is the only golfer besides Tiger Woods to win the U.S. Junior Amateur twice. As a freshman at Texas, he helped his team win the 2011 NCAA championship and was named All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year.
His playing partner Palmer is a fellow Texan who has won three times on the PGA TOUR, most recently at the 2010 Sony Open in Hawaii. He finished tied for fourth in the 2012 Zurich Classic when his third round score of 64 tied the course record at TPC Louisiana.
He advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs last year for the ninth time in 10 seasons. He just barely missed qualifying for the TOUR Championship, finishing 34th after posting a tie for fourth in the BMW Championship the week before.
The latest commitments further strengthen what is arguably the strongest field in history for the Zurich Classic, with seven players ranked in the world’s top 10, nine in the top 20 and 13 in the top 25.
Top ten players entered include Jason Day (third), Hideki Matsuyama (fourth), Spieth (fifth), Henrik Stenson (sixth), Justin Rose (eighth), Rickie Fowler (ninth) and Justin Thomas (tenth).
Day, ranked number one in the world for 47 weeks, is teaming with Fowler. Masters runner-up and Olympic gold medal winner Rose has paired with Olympic silver medalist Stenson in this year’s unique team format.
The new 72-hole stroke play format will feature Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. The starting field will consist of a field of 80 teams. Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
World #4 Matsuyama forms team for Zurich Classic
WORLD’S 4TH RANKED HIDEKI MATSUYAMA WILL TEAM WITH COUNTRYMAN Hideto Tanihara IN 2017 ZURICH CLASSIC
Zurich Classic field now includes six of the world’s top ten players
NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 11, 2017)—Hideki Matsuyama, who has won twice and finished second twice on the PGA TOUR this season, will partner with countryman Hideto Tanihara, who finished fourth in the World Golf Championship—Dell Technologies Match Play last month, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
“The addition of Hideki Matsuyama gives our tournament six of the world’s top ten players,” said Worthy. “We are happy to have both these international stars in New Orleans and expect them to be a very formidable team,” Worthy added.
Matsuyama is currently ranked fourth in the world and stands second in FedExCup points and earnings on the TOUR. He finished tied for 11th in the Masters this week after a tie for seventh and a fifth the previous two years. He also finished tied for fourth in the 2016 PGA Championship.
He has won four times on the PGA TOUR and seven times on the Japan Tour. He is enjoying a career year in 2017, winning the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions and the Waste Management Phoenix Open (for a second consecutive time) and finishing second at the CIMB Classic and SBS Tournament of Champions.
He has played on the last two Presidents Cup teams and currently holds second place in qualifying points for this year’s team, behind only Jason Day.
Veteran Tanihara was named Japan Golf Rookie of the Year in 2003 and has won 14 times on the Japan Tour. He plays sparingly on the PGA TOUR, but this year took fourth in the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play with an upset over Jordan Spieth in the opening round. He lost to world’s top-ranked player Dustin Johnson 1 up in the semifinal.
His high finish in the Dell Match Play moved him into the top 50 in the world to qualify for the Masters. He is currently ranked 49th in the world.
He tied for fifth in the 2006 Open Championship, the second best finish by a Japanese player in Open history. He has played on three World Cup teams.
The latest commitments add to arguably the strongest field in history for the Zurich Classic, with six players ranked in the world’s top 10, eight in the top 20 and 12 in the top 25.
Top ten players entered include Day (third), Matsuyama (fourth), Henrik Stenson (sixth), Justin Rose (eighth), Rickie Fowler (ninth) and Justin Thomas (tenth).
Day, ranked number one in the world for 47 weeks, is teaming with Fowler. Masters runner-up and Olympic gold medal winner Rose has paired with Olympic silver medalist Stenson in this year’s unique team format.
The new 72-hole stroke play format will feature Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. The starting field will consist of a field of 80 teams. Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
Reed, Pieters form teams for Zurich Classic
U.S. AND EUROPEAN RYDER CUP STARS EACH FORM TEAMS TO COMPETE IN ZURICH CLASSIC
Patrick Reed pairs with Patrick Cantley; Thomas Pieters teams with Daniel Berger
NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 4, 2017)—Two of the stars for their respective 2016 Ryder Cup teams have both entered their own teams in the 2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
Patrick Reed, who went 3-1-1 in his matches for the Americans, will team with Patrick Cantley, who missed all of last year due to injury but earned his PGA TOUR card this season with a second place in the Valspar Championship.
Thomas Pieters, who posted a 4-1 record in his first Ryder Cup competition last year, will team with Daniel Berger who played at Florida State and was named PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year in 2015.
“Our team format is attracting a number of Ryder Cup players from last year and many Presidents Cup contenders,” said Worthy. “Both Patrick Reed and Thomas Pieters grabbed the attention of the golf world for their intense play in international competition last year, and we expect more of that here at the Zurich Classic this year,” added Worthy.
Reed, currently ranked 13th in the world, won two Louisiana high school state championships at University High of Baton Rouge, then two NCAA collegiate championships at Augusta State before turning pro.
In last year’s competition, he went head-to-head with Rory McIlroy in one of the most thrilling matches in Ryder Cup history, eventually making birdie on 18 for a 1-up victory. Reed’s overall record in two Ryder Cup events is 6-1-2. He and Jordan Spieth were the only Americans to play all five matches last year at Hazeltine.
At 26, Reed has won five times on the PGA TOUR, joining Spieth (21) and Rory McIlroy (23) as youngest winners with five TOUR titles in last 10 years. His best finish this season was a sixth at the SBS Tournament of Champions.
Cantlay earned his PGA TOUR card with his runner-up finish at Valspar in only his second start after missing all of last season due to a back injury he suffered in 2013. Since the injury, he had played in only six starts on the PGA TOUR.
He had a storied amateur career highlighted by being named the winner of the Fred Haskins Award in 2011 as the nation’s top collegiate player as well as the Jack Nicklaus Award as the Division I Player of the Year—as a freshman. He was also that year named an All-American at UCLA plus PAC-10 Golfer of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
He played on the 2011 Walker Cup team, where he went 2-1-1. Later that year he posted a round of 10-under-par 60 in the Traveler’s Championship, becoming the first amateur in the history of the PGA TOUR to score 60 or better.
Pieters is currently ranked 35th in the world. He has won three times on the European Tour and this year has posted a tie for second in the Genesis Open and a tie for sixth in the World Golf Championships—Mexico Championship. Those finishes earned him temporary membership on the PGA TOUR this season.
In his first Ryder Cup competition, he played to a 4-1 record, the best performance by a European rookie in Ryder Cup history.
He played collegiately at University of Illinois and won the NCAA individual championship in 2012 at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles where the Genesis Open was played this year.
The Belgian native finished fourth in the 2016 Summer Olympics and also made the World Cup team last year.
His teammate Daniel Berger is ranked 34th in the world on the strength of three top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR this year, including a tie for second at the World Golf Championships—HSBC Champions. He won the FedEx St. Jude Classic last year at the age of 23, holding off the likes of Steve Stricker, Phil Mickelson and fellow Seminole Brooks Koepka, who all tied for second.
He was named PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year in 2015 after a record of 15 top-25 finishes in only 21 tournaments. He tied for sixth that year in the Zurich Classic. He was the only rookie that season to advance to the TOUR Championship, where he finished tied for 12th.
At Florida State, he was named a first-team All-American and was the runner-up for the NCAA individual championship in 2013. He also made the Palmer Cup team that year.
The latest commitments add to what is shaping up as the strongest field in years for the Zurich Classic, with four players ranked in the world’s top 10, eight in the top 20 and 11 in the top 25.
Already announced are the teams of Jason Day with Rickie Fowler and Olympic gold medal winner Justin Rose with Olympic silver medalist Henrik Stenson in this year’s unique team format. Day was ranked number one in the world for 47 weeks and is currently third. Fowler is ranked eighth in the world, Rose is 14th and Stenson is fifth.
Also entered are Justin Thomas, winner of three tournaments this season and currently ranked seventh in the world, along with Bubba Watson, 2011 Zurich Classic champion, currently ranked 19th.
The new 72-hole stroke play format will feature Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. The starting field will consist of a field of 80 teams. Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
PGA Champ Walker teams with O’Hair in Zurich Classic
REIGNING PGA CHAMPION JIMMY WALKER PAIRS WITH SEAN O’HAIR IN THE 2017 ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS
Kevin Chappell and Gary Woodland also form a team for this year’s tournament
NEW ORLEANS, LA (March 30, 2017)—Jimmy Walker, who counts the 2016 PGA Championship among his six PGA TOUR victories, has teamed with four-time winner Sean O’Hair for the 2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
“Jimmy Walker joins a growing number of winners of majors to enter our tournament this year,” said Worthy. “In addition to his tournament victories, he has also played on four different national teams in his career,” added Worthy.
Walker, ranked 24th in the world, tied the 36-hole scoring record in last year’s PGA Championship, which he won by a single stroke over defending champion Jason Day. He has finished in the top ten in money winnings on TOUR for the last three seasons and made the FedExCup Playoffs last year for the seventh consecutive year.
His best finish this season was a tie for ninth in the SBS Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. He last played the Zurich Classic in 2013, when he finished eighth.
Walker is a veteran of team play, earning a place on the 2015 Presidents Cup, the 2016 World Cup and the last two Ryder Cup teams.
Walker’s partner Sean O’Hair is a four-time winner of the PGA TOUR and advanced to last season’s FedExCup Playoffs for the eighth time in his career. He earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2005.
He has posted two top ten finishes this season. He tied for 12th in the 2015 Zurich Classic and has two other top-15 finishes in the tournament. He was a member of the 2009 Presidents Cup team.
Woodland has won twice on the PGA TOUR, and is enjoying a strong season, currently ninth in winnings. He has finished second twice this season at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba and the Honda Classic to go along a tie for fifth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and a tie for sixth at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Currently ranked 35th in the world, he tied for 20th in last year’s Zurich Classic. He played on the 2011 World Cup team.
Chappell enjoyed the most successful season of his career last year, finishing eighth in FedExCup points and qualifying for the FedExCup Playoffs for the sixth consecutive time.
Although he has yet to post his first victory, he has come close a number of times in his career, with six seconds and three thirds. He finished second four times just last season, including a three-way playoff in the season-ending TOUR Championship.
He tied for 34th in the 2014 Zurich Classic. He was a member of the 2009 Palmer Cup team and won the 2008 NCAA individual championship, the first UCLA Bruin to take the title.Is bvest finish this season
The latest commitments add to what is shaping up as the strongest field in years for the Zurich Classic, with four players ranked in the world’s top 10, eight in the top 20 and 11 in the top 25.
Already announced are the teams of Jason Day with Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose with Henrik Stenson in this year’s unique team format. Day was ranked number one in the world for 47 weeks and is currently third. Fowler is ranked 9th in the world, Rose is 13th and Stenson is fifth.
Also entered are Justin Thomas, winner of three tournaments this season and currently ranked eighth in the world, along with Bubba Watson, 2011 Zurich Classic champion, currently ranked 18th.
The new 72-hole stroke play format will feature Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. The starting field will consist of a field of 80 teams. Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
Hatton and Donaldson partner in Zurich Classic
Tyrrell Hatton, 15th in the world, will team with fellow Brit Jamie Donaldson in 2017 zurich classic
Russell Knox, ranked 23rd in the world, and Kevin Streelman also form a team for the tournament
NEW ORLEANS, LA (March 27, 2017)—Tyrrell Hatton, who burst on the PGA TOUR this season to earn temporary membership after only four tournaments and is now ranked 15th in the world, will partner with Jamie Donaldson in the 2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
“Tyrrell earned temporary membership on the TOUR after only four U.S. tournaments, an almost unprecedented achievement,” said Worthy.
Hatton vaulted from 121st in the world to 14th last week in less than 12 months of play on the European and PGA tours starting in April 2016.
He posted two ties for fourth to go with a tenth and a tie for 23rd in four tournaments in the 2016-17 season to earn his temporary PGA TOUR membership. He has also earned finishes of second and a tie for third in European Tour events this year.
Last year, he finished tied for tenth in the PGA Championship and tied for fifth in The Open Championship at Royal Troon. He also won his first tournament on the European Tour last year to go with two seconds and five other top 10s in 2016.
Hatton currently ranks first for Strokes Gained: Putting and third for Strokes Gained: Total on the TOUR.
Jamie Donaldson, Hatton’s teammate, has earned three titles on the European Tour and one on the Asian Tour. “Jamie has been a mentor to Tyrrell and they are represented by the same management agency and share a love of the Liverpool Football Club. Their partnership was a natural one,” Worthy said.
Donaldson is also entered on an exemption in the 2017 Zurich Classic because he did not play enough events in the U.S. last year to keep his TOUR card. “Jamie has a relationship with Zurich and we are happy to have him back in New Orleans,” said Worthy.
He finished tied for 48th in last year’s Zurich Classic, which will also be his first tournament on the PGA TOUR in the 2016-17 season.
He was a member of the 2014 Ryder Cup team and hit the winning shot on the 15th hole in singles play Sunday that clinched the victory for the European squad.
Knox, a two-time winner on TOUR in 2016 including World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions and currently ranked 23rd in the world, will partner with Kevin Streelman, who has also won twice on the PGA TOUR.
Knox’s best finishes this season include a third in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba and two top 10s in the WGC-HSBC Champions and CIMB Classic.
His last appearance in the Zurich Classic was in 2015, when he finished tied for 43rd.
Streelman advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs last year for the ninth consecutive time. His best finish this season was a fourth in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.
Winner of the 2013 Tampa Bay Championship and the 2014 Travelers Championship, he last played the Zurich Classic in 2012, when he finished 71st.
The latest commitments add to what is shaping up as the strongest field in years for the Zurich Classic, with four players ranked in the world’s top 10.
Already announced are the teams of Jason Day with Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose with Henrik Stenson in this year’s unique team format. Day was ranked number one in the world for 47 weeks and is currently third. Fowler is ranked 9th in the world, Rose is 13th and Stenson is fifth.
Also entered are Justin Thomas, winner of three tournaments this season and currently ranked eighth in the world, along with Bubba Watson, 2011 Zurich Classic champion, currently ranked 18th.
The new 72-hole stroke play format will feature Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. The starting field will consist of a field of 80 teams. Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
Koepka brothers form team in Zurich Classic!
It’s a family affair – Brooks Koepka picks his brother Chase as teammate for the 2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
And former world # 1 Luke Donald will partner with Jamie Lovemark, who made the playoff in 2016 Zurich Classic
NEW ORLEANS, LA (March 23, 2017)—Brooks Koepka, currently ranked 24th in the world, has picked his brother Chase to team with him in the 2017 Zurich Classic, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
“Our new team format is attracting a number of interesting pairings, and the Koepka brothers will be one of the most unusual,” said Worthy. “We are delighted to offer an exemption so Brooks and Chase can play together for the first time not just in their professional careers but in their entire lives,” Worthy added.
Brooks revealed in an interview on Golf Channel this week prior to the start of the World Golf Championship—Dell Technologies Match Play that he and Chase have never played together.
Brooks has won once on the PGA TOUR and six times internationally. His best finish this season was second in the Shriners Hospital for Children Open. He last played the Zurich Classic in 2014, when he finished tied for 21st.
He was a member of the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2016, when he was one of the team leaders with three wins.
He is one of the longest drivers on the PGA TOUR, ranking sixth in driving distance.
His brother Chase currently plays on the European Challenge Tour, where his older brother also launched his path to the PGA TOUR.
Chase played collegiately at University of South Florida, where he was named Big East Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. He holds the USF record for most wins in a college career.
In addition to the Koepka team, Luke Donald, who was ranked #1 in the world for a total of 56 weeks in 2011-2012, will partner in this year’s Zurich Classic with Jamie Lovemark, who made the playoff in last year’s tournament.
Donald has won five times of the PGA TOUR and eight times internationally. He is one of only 16 players to make all ten FedExCup Playoffs since the format was launched.
He has played on four Ryder Cup teams and three World Cup teams as a pro, plus two Walker Cup teams while he played collegiately at Northwestern. His Ryder Cup record is a sterling 8-2-1, and he is undefeated in six Foursomes matches.
He joined the PGA TOUR in 2001 after college and has amassed more than $35 million in earnings, good for 17th all-time on TOUR.
He last played the Zurich Classic in 2012. His third place finish that year vaulted him back to the number one ranking in the world.
Lovemark is still pursuing his first PGA TOUR win but came closest in last year’s Zurich Classic, when he qualified for the three-man playoff. He made par at the par-5 final hole of regulation play, missing a 10-foot putt that would have won the tournament.
So far this season, his best finishes have been a tie for fourth in the Sony Open in Hawaii and a tie for sixth in the RSM Classic.
The latest commitments add to what is shaping up as the strongest field in years for the Zurich Classic, with four players ranked in the world’s top 10.
Already announced are the teams of Jason Day with Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose with Henrik Stenson in this year’s unique team format. Day was ranked number one in the world for 47 weeks and is currently third. Fowler is ranked 9th in the world, Rose is 13th and Stenson is fifth.
Also entered are Justin Thomas, winner of three tournaments this season and currently ranked 7th in the world, along with Bubba Watson, 2011 Zurich Classic champion, currently ranked 17th.
The new 72-hole stroke play format will feature Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. The starting field will consist of a field of 80 teams. Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace form team to debut in 2017 Zurich Classic
South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace form team to debut in 2017 Zurich Classic
2007 Zurich Champion Nick Watney will partner with Charley Hoffman, second place finisher in last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational
NEW ORLEANS, LA (March 22, 2017)—Two South African players who are ranked in the top 30 in the world but have never played the Zurich Classic will make their debut as a team in the 2017 event, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
Branden Grace, who is ranked 19th in the world, will team with fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen, who is ranked 27th. Grace and Oosthuizen were 4-0 as a team in the 2015 Presidents Cup.
“The addition of these two top-ranked international stars who have never played our event speaks volumes about the attention our new team format is generating,” said Worthy. “Grace and Oosthuizen have 23 international victories between them, including Louis winning The Open Championship in 2010,” add Worthy.
Grace won the RBC Heritage last year to add to his 10 international titles on the South African and European tours. His best finishes this season have been a tie for 13th at the Sony Open in Hawaii and a tie for 22nd at the Genesis Open.
He played on the last two International Presidents Cup teams in 2013 and 2015. He has finished in the top five in each of the last two years in both the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship.
Oosthuizen has won 13 times internationally on the South African and European tours. In addition to his victory in the 2010 Open Championship, he was involved in a playoff for the 2012 Masters and the 2015 Open Championship.
With eight victories on the European Tour, he ranks fourth among South African players for wins on that circuit. He also played on the International Presidents Cup teams in 2013 and 2015.
His best finish this season on the PGA TOUR was a third at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He has qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs the last three years.
Joining Oosthuizen and Grace will be the team of Nick Watney, winner of the Zurich Classic in 2007, and Charley Hoffman, who together have won nine PGA TOUR events.
Watney is playing this season on a major medical extension but has won five times on the PGA TOUR, including his first victory at the Zurich Classic in 2007. His game is rounding into form this season coming off injury, with three top 15 finishes in his last four tournaments.
His partner, Charley Hoffman, has won four times on TOUR, most recently in last year’s Valero Texas Open. His best finishes so far this season are a tie for second at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and a tie for fourth at the Genesis Open. He is currently ranked 48th in the world.
He finished tied for 11th in last year’s Zurich Classic. A regular at the Zurich Classic, his best finish was a fifth in 2014.
The latest commitments add to what is shaping up as the strongest field in years for the Zurich Classic, with four players ranked in the world’s top 10.
Already announced are the teams of Jason Day with Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose with Henrik Stenson in this year’s unique team format. Day was ranked number one in the world for 47 weeks and is currently third. Fowler is ranked 9th in the world, Rose is 13th and Stenson is fifth.
Also entered are Justin Thomas, winner of three tournaments this season and currently ranked th in the world, along with Bubba Watson, 2011 Zurich Classic champion, currently ranked 17th.
The new 72-hole stroke play format will feature Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. The starting field will consist of a field of 80 teams. Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
SEC Rivalries starting to emerge in new team format at Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Former LSU players John Peterson and Andrew Loupe enter as a team, and Smylie Kaufman partners with Harold Varner III, who once wore another’s purple and gold
NEW ORLEANS, LA (March 14, 2017)—Another SEC pair has joined the 2017 Zurich Classic, expanding the emerging rivalry among schools, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
John Peterson and Andrew Loupe, who both played for LSU, have announced they will form a team to play in this year’s Zurich Classic, joining the Auburn pairing of Jason Dufner with Patton Kizzire and the Alabama team of Justin Thomas with Bud Cauley.
“Our new team format is reviving some old college rivalries,” said Worthy. “We are also seeing indications of some other college airings as player commitments start to [ick up the pace,” Worthy added.
In addition to Peterson and Loupe, former LSU player Smylie Kaufman is teaming with Harold Varner III, who also wore purple and gold in college—for East Carolina University.
Peterson is playing the PGA TOUR on a major medical exemption after missing virtually all of last season due to wrist surgery. So far this season, he has posted a tie for 12th in the Waste Management Phoenix Open and a tie for 15th in the OHL Classic in Mayakoba. In 2013, he tied for eighth in the Zurich Classic, a year after he tied for fourth in the U.S. Open.
He was a three-time All-American and won the NCAA individual title in 2011 while playing for LSU.
Loupe, a two-time All-American at LSU, advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs last year on the strength of a solid season that featured a tie for third in the Career Builder Challenge, his best showing in his PGA TOUR career. He missed the cut in last year’s Zurich Classic.
Kaufman won the second tournament of his rookie PGA TOUR season in 2016-17 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, where he shot a final round of 61, punching his ticket for the Masters. He came from seven strokes behind on the last round of the tournament and had to wait two and a half hours before the final group holed out.
The week before his victory, he tied for 10th in the Frys.com Open in the very first tournament of his rookie season. He has also finished tied for eighth in the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship last season. He missed the cut in last year’s Zurich Classic after posting a 68 in the first round.
At LSU, he was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll team each year between 2011-14. A native and resident of Birmingham, AL, we won the 2011 Alabama State Amateur Championship.
Varner won the Australian PGA Championship in 2016 by posting opening and closing rounds of 65. He was one of seven rookies to advance to the FedExCup Playoffs last year, with four top-10 finishes among his seven top-25 showings in his first year on TOUR. One of those top-10 finishes last year was a tie for eighth in the Zurich Classic.
At East Carolina, he was named Conference USA Player of the Year in 2012 and made the all-conference team three times.
The latest commitments add to what is shaping up as the strongest field in years for the Zurich Classic, with four players ranked in the world’s top 10.
Already announced are the teams of Jason Day with Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose with Henrik Stenson in this year’s unique team format. Day was ranked number one in the world for 47 weeks and is currently second. Fowler is ranked 9th in the world, Rose is 13th and Stenson is fifth.
Also entered are Justin Thomas, winner of three tournaments this season and currently ranked 7th in the world, along with Bubba Watson, 2011 Zurich Classic champion, currently ranked 17th.
The new 72-hole stroke play format will feature Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. The starting field will consist of a field of 80 teams. Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
Jerry Kelly and Jason Dufner announce teams to compete in 2017 Tournament
TWO MORE FORMER ZURICH CLASSIC CHAMPS—Jerry Kelly and Jason DUfner–ANNOUNCE TEAMS TO COMPETE IN 2017 TOURNAMENT
U.S. Presidents Cup captain Steve Stricker will team with 2009 winner Jerry Kelly and 2012 champion Jason Dufner will pair with Patton Kizzire
NEW ORLEANS, LA (March 9, 2017)— Two more former Zurich Classic champions have formed their teams to play in this year’s tournament, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.
Jerry Kelly, 2009 Zurich winner, will team with Steve Stricker, who has been named captain of this year’s U.S. Presidents Cup team. Jason Dufner, who won in 2012, has paired with Patton Kizzire. Both Dufner and Kizzire played for Auburn in college.
“We are starting to see some SEC rivalries emerge in our field of 80 teams this year, with an Alabama team and now an Auburn pair,” said Worthy. “Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker are close personal friends, and I know Steve will be paying particular interest in how some of these teams compete as he prepares to captain the U.S. team in the Presidents Cup later this year,” added Worthy.
Dufner won the first of his four PGA TOUR titles at the 2012 Zurich Classic, then went on to win the PGA Championship the next year. Prior to his win in 2012, Dufner enjoyed a series of three straight top-ten finishes at the Zurich Classic, with a T9, T7 and T3 from 2009-2011. He advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs last year for the eighth time in his career and qualified for the TOUR Championship for the fifth time. He last played in the Zurich Classic in 2013, finishing tied for 42n..
Kelly made an impressive showing with a tie for third earlier this year in his first PGA Champions Tour event. He has won three times on the PGA TOUR and qualified for the FedfExCup Playoffs last season for his tenth consecutive time, one of only 16 players to ever do so. He is a regular competitor in the Zurich Classic, famous for eating charbroiled oysters on the 18th green during his winner’s ceremony in 2009.
Stricker has won 12 times on the PGA TOUR and twice in Canada. He also won the 2009 Shark Shootout, an unofficial team event, with Jerry Kelly as his partner. He has played on five Presidents Cup teams and three Ryder Cup teams before being named Presidents Cup captain for 2017. Playing on a limited schedule last season, he finished fourth in The Open Championship. He played in last year’s Zurich Classic, finishing tied for 58th.
Kizzire finished second in this season’s first event, the Safeway Open. He made the FedExCup Playoffs last season in his rookie year, one of only seven first-year players to advance that far. He recorded five top-10 finishes last season, placing him 40th in FedExCup standings. He tied for eighth in last year’s Zurich Classic, his first time at the tournament.
The addition of Dufner and Kelly brings the number of past Zurich champions playing this year to eight, including:
- Brian Stuard (2016) with Chris Stroud
- Justin Rose (2015) with Henrik Stenson
- Seung-Yul Noh (2014) and Byeong Hun An
- Bubba Watson (2011) and J.B. Holmes
- Jason Bohn (2010) with Carl Pettersson
- K.J. Choi (2002) with Charlie Wi
The latest commitments add to what is shaping up as the strongest field in years for the Zurich Classic, said Worthy. Already announced are the teams of Jason Day with Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose with Henrik Stenson in this year’s unique team format. Day was ranked number one in the world for 47 weeks and is currently second. Fowler is ranked 9th in the world, Rose is 13th and Stenson is sixth. Also entered is Justin Thomas, winner of three tournament this season and currently ranked 7th in the world.
The new 72-hole stroke play format will feature Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. The starting field will consist of a field of 80 teams. Following the conclusion of the second round, the field will be cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
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