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Zurich Classic of New Orleans: Top 10 power rankings for TPC Louisiana

By Mike Randleman

AVONDALE, LA - APRIL 29: A general view of the 17th green during the final round of the Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana on April 29, 2018 in Avondale, Louisiana. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
AVONDALE, LA - APRIL 29: A general view of the 17th green during the final round of the Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana on April 29, 2018 in Avondale, Louisiana. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – MARCH 13: Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa in action during a practice round for The PLAYERS Championship on The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 13, 2019 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – MARCH 13: Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa in action during a practice round for The PLAYERS Championship on The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 13, 2019 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

When prognosticating this tournament, it’s easy to be drawn to a pair of countrymen playing together. But Oosthuizen and Schwartzel are also great friends.

“We had lots of fun travelling together,” Oosthuizen was quoted by the European Tour in 2011. “I still remember the Junior Worlds we won in Japan. We have some fantastic memories.”

They live in the same neighborhood in Palm Beach and are a part of the generation that followed in Ernie Els’ footsteps.

These guys are also two of the more accomplished players in the field. Oosthuizen was the 2010 Open Champion and Schwartzel the 2011 Masters champion.

Oosthuizen brings in the best form of the two ranked No. 21 in the world. He still seeks his first win on American soil, but he’s a nine-time winner on the European Tour with the last coming in December at the African Open.

Oosthuizen is coming off a T29 at the Masters, which followed a T2 at the Valspar Championship and a quarterfinals appearance at the WGC-Match Play.

Oosthuizen tied for 24th at the 2017 Zurich Classic and finished T3 (66-72-62-68) and just two off the pace with Schwartzel last year.

Schwartzel will hope playing with a buddy will lighten the load a bit. Once as high as world No. 6 this decade, he’s dropped to No. 112.

He does have good form to lean on in 2019 with a T6 at the Puerto Rico Open and T16 at the Honda Classic. Schwartzel did not play in New Orleans in 2017.

Neither played the Zurich as an individual.

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