Zurich Classic of New Orleans Power Rankings
By Sam Belden
No. 1: Jason Day/Rickie Fowler
OWGR – Day: No. 3, Fowler: No. 9
This duo will probably draw the biggest galleries of the week, and why not? Day and Fowler are two of the game’s most compelling personalities, and as they hail from different countries, this is a rare opportunity to see them fighting for the same side. With a ton of experience and talent between them, these two look like the clear frontrunners.
Day wasn’t always a regular at the Zurich Classic, but he seems to have really taken a liking to the course in recent seasons, finding the top five in each of the last two years. His play has been somewhat inconsistent this season, but he was in good shape at the Masters, where he tied for 22nd; now, after a few weeks of rest, the Aussie should be ready to improve on that performance. Fowler, meanwhile, will ride a wave of six consecutive top 20 finishes into this week, so he’s not hungry for momentum. His track record at TPC Louisiana is somewhat spotty, but he’s in the right form to defy it.
Day is the X-factor in this pairing — if he can recapture his winning form of old, these guys will be tough to beat. Even if he’s not at a hundred percent, his history in the Bayou State, along with Fowler’s form, make this a group to watch.