TWO SOUTH AFRICAN MAJOR CHAMPIONS PAIR UP AGAIN FOR ZURICH CLASSIC

NEW ORLEANS, LA (April 5, 2019)—Two South Africans who have each won a major championship and more than a dozen international titles are pairing up again in the Zurich Classic, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.

Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel took third place in the 2018 Zurich Classic. Last year was the first at the Zurich Classic for Schwartzel and the second for Oosthuizen, who had finished tied for 24^thin the 2017 team event, playing with Branden Grace.

Louis and Charl have both won major championships and they have both enjoyed great success internationally,” said Worthy. “Their first partnership here last year resulted in a third place finish, so we expect they will be a team to reckon with again this year,” added Worthy.

Oosthuizen has been playing well recently, with a tie for fifth in last week’s World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. Earlier in the season he tied for second in the Valspar Championship and tied for fifth in the CIMB Classic.

He is currently ranked 20^thin the world. He won The Open Championship in 2010 for his only PGA TOUR title, but has claimed 13 victories on the European and South African tours. He lost playoffs for the Masters in 2012 and The Open Championship in 2015.

He also tied for second in the 2015 U.S. Open and the 2017 PGA Championship, becoming one of only seven players in PGA TOUR history to be a runner-up in all four majors. The others include Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, Tom Watson, Greg Norman and Craig Wood. Norman and Wood lost playoffs in each of the four major tournaments.

Oosthuizen has played on the last three International Presidents Cup teams, compiling a 5-3-2 record overall.

Schwartzel won his Masters title in 2011 by two strokes over Australians Jason Day and Adam Scott. His victory came 50 years after fellow countryman Gary Player became the first international winner of a green jacket.

In his career, Schwartzel has placed in the top 25 a total of 77 times on his PGA TOUR since 2005. In addition to his 2011 Masters title, he won the 2016 Valspar Championship. He has won another 13 tournaments on the European, Asian and South African tours.

His best finish this season was a tie for sixth in the Puerto Rico Open.

Schwartzel has played on the last four Presidents Cup teams and the 2011 World Cup team with Oosthuizen. In the 2011 Presidents Cup matches, he was one of four rookies on the International the team and went 3-1-1 in a losing cause against the Americans.

The Zurich Classic is the only team tournament on the PGA TOUR season. Since launching the team format two years ago, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans has drawn some of the highest ranking fields for any regular-season tournament on the PGA TOUR. In 2018, the tournament field included six of the top ten players in the world; all four reigning major champions; the U.S. Ryder Cup captain and six members of the U.S. team along with the European Ryder Cup captain with four of his co-captains and six players on the victorious European team.

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 $36 million to date for children’s charities in metro New Orleans and Baton Rouge. More information at http://www.forekidsfoundation.com.

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 22-28, 2019 at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. Purse for 2019 totals $7.3 million, with each member of the winning team earning $1,051,200.

Single-day grounds tickets are only $35 and weekly passes are $85. Single day tickets for the two most popular hospitality venues on the PGA TOUR start at $85 for Acme Oyster House and $185 for The Champions Club. Kids 17 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult holding a grounds ticket. Other choices of suite and specialty venue options are available by calling the Tournament Office at 504-342-3000 or online at www.zurichgolfclassic.com.