Zurich Classic of New Orleans Power Rankings
By Sam Belden
No. 3: Jordan Spieth/Ryan Palmer
OWGR – Spieth: No. 5, Palmer: No. 85
This pairing will feature two Texans of two vastly different levels of skill — while Spieth is a two-time major champion and one of the stars of this generation, Palmer is a solid PGA Tour veteran with three victories but few other accolades. Together, they should form a formidable duo, buoyed by a desire to impress the fans at TPC Louisiana with some Lone Star State golf.
Spieth’s final round fade at Augusta was unfortunate, but on the whole, his form has been pretty solid this year. After a busy winter, a couple of weeks off post-Masters likely did him a world of good, so he should be sharp this week. Palmer, for his part, is entering this week on the heels of back-to-back top 15 finishes: a tie for 11th at the RBC Heritage and a tie for sixth at the Valero Texas Open. He’s also seen some past success at the Zurich Classic, tying for fourth back in 2012. For all of Spieth’s attributes, he does lack experience at TPC Louisiana, so Palmer will be key this week.
Spieth and Palmer look like perfect complements for each other, so expect them to impress the galleries this week. They have what it takes to win.