Zurich Classic of New Orleans Power Rankings

Brian Stuard won last year’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, but the change in format will add a new wrinkle to this year’s edition.

With last week’s Valero Texas Open in the rearview mirror, the PGA Tour now heads east for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana. With its unconventional team format being rolled out for the first time this year, golf fans have had this event circled on their calendars for months now.

Instead of playing as individuals, the golfers in this week’s field have separated themselves into 79 pairs. The format for the first and third rounds will be alternate shot, while the second and final rounds will feature better ball. At the end of the week, two winners will be crowned. If you’re a fan of the Ryder Cup, then you’ll enjoy the reprise of these compelling ways of playing the game.

The Zurich Classic hasn’t been particularly popular with top players in recent years, but it appears that the change in format has reinvigorated this tournament. Many PGA Tour members are curious about the new structure; others couldn’t resist the opportunity to team up with a buddy. All told, six of the top 10 players in the world are in the field this week, so in that regard, the experiment has already been a terrific success.

That being said, we won’t be able to properly assess the format until the tournament gets underway. For now, here are ten duos that look poised for success at TPC Louisiana.