Zurich Classic of New Orleans

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a professional golf tournament in Louisiana on the PGA Tour, currently held at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, a suburb southwest of New Orleans. Beginning 86 years ago in 1938 and held annually since 1958, it is commonly played in early to mid-spring. Zurich Insurance Group is the main sponsor, and it is organized by the Fore!Kids Foundation.^[3]

Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Tournament information
Location	Avondale, Louisiana
Established	1938[1]
Course(s)	TPC Louisiana
Par	72
Length	7,425 yards (6,789 m)[2]
Organized by	Fore!Kids Foundation
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Team stroke play
Prize fund	US$8,900,000
Month played	April
Tournament record score
Aggregate	Individual: 262 Chip Beck (1988) Team: 258 Nick Hardy and Davis Riley (2023)
To par	Individual: −26 as above Team: −30 as above
Current champion
Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy
Location map
TPC Louisiana Location in the United States Show map of the United States TPC Louisiana Location in Louisiana Show map of Louisiana

First prize reached five figures in 1965,^[4] six figures in 1988,^[5] and passed the million-dollar mark in 2006.^[6] The winning team in 2022 split over $2.39 million.

In 2017, the Zurich Classic became a team event, with eighty pairs. One member of each team is initially chosen via the Tour priority rankings, and his partner must either be a PGA Tour member or earn entry through a sponsor exemption. The stroke play format was alternate shot (foursome) in the first and third rounds and better ball (fourball) for the second and fourth rounds. The cut line is 33 teams, plus ties. The winners earn 400 FedEx Cup points and two-year exemptions, but will not receive Masters invitations and no world ranking points are awarded for the event.^[7]

In 2018, the format switched to fourball for the first and third rounds and alternate shot for the second and fourth rounds.^[8]

Tournament names and corporate sponsors

• Crescent City Open (1938)^[9]
• New Orleans Open (1939–1948)
• Greater New Orleans Open Invitational (1958–1971)^[9]
• Greater New Orleans Invitational (1972–1974)^[10]
• First NBC New Orleans Open (1975–1979)^[10]
• Greater New Orleans Open (1980)
• USF&G New Orleans Open (1981)^[10]
• USF&G Classic (1982–1991)
• Freeport-McMoRan Golf Classic (1992–1993)^[10]
• Freeport-McMoRan Classic (1994–1995)
• Freeport- McDermott Classic (1996–1998)
• Compaq Classic of New Orleans (1999–2002)^[10]
• HP Classic of New Orleans (2003–2004)
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans (2005–present)^[10]

Tournament highlights

• 1966: Frank Beard wins his first New Orleans title by two shots over Gardner Dickinson. The win by Beard came two years after his being diagnosed with and almost dying of encephalitis shortly after playing in the 1964 Greater New Orleans Open Invitational.^[11]
• 1972: PGA Tour rookie Rogelio Gonzales was disqualified after it was learned he had changed his scorecard earlier in the tournament.^[12] In addition to his disqualification, the PGA Tour lifted Gonzales playing privileges.^[13]
• 1974: Lee Trevino wins with a bogey-free four rounds, a rare occurrence.^[14]
• 1975: Billy Casper wins for the 51st and ultimately last time on the PGA Tour. He beats Peter Oosterhuis by two shots.^[15]
• 1978: Lon Hinkle earns his first ever PGA Tour title by birdieing the 72nd hole to beat Fuzzy Zoeller and Gibby Gilbert by one shot. The win by Hinkle ends Gary Player's consecutive tournament winning streak at three.^[16]
• 1984: Mac O'Grady gets into an altercation with a female tournament volunteer. He is later fined and suspended by Tour Commissioner Deane Beman for conduct unbecoming a professional golfer.^[17]
• 1990: David Frost beats Greg Norman by one shot after holing out from a sand trap on the 72nd hole.^[18]
• 1995: In need of a win to qualify for The Masters, Davis Love III defeats Mike Heinen in a sudden death playoff.^[19]
• 1999: Carlos Franco becomes the first South American to win on the PGA Tour since Roberto De Vicenzo at the 1968 Houston Champions International. Franco wins by two shots over Steve Flesch and Harrison Frazar.^[20]
• 2002: K. J. Choi becomes the first Korean born golfer to win on the PGA Tour. He beats Dudley Hart and Geoff Ogilvy by four shots.^[21]
• 2004: Vijay Singh shoots a final round 63 to beat Phil Mickelson and Joe Ogilvie by one shot.^[22]
• 2017: The event switched to a team format.

Courses

From the event's inception through 2004, it was played at a series of courses in New Orleans, starting at the City Park Golf Courses, where it was played through 1962. From 1963 through 1988, the event had a lengthy relationship with Lakewood Country Club before shifting to English Turn Golf and Country Club in 1989 for sixteen editions through 2004.

TPC Louisiana in Avondale became the host in 2005, but damage to the course by Hurricane Katrina that August forced the event back to English Turn for a year in 2006. It returned to the TPC in 2007, its current home.

Course layout

TPC Louisiana in 2016

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Yards	399	548	221	482	438	476	561	372	207	3,704	390	575	492	403	216	490	355	215	585	3,721	7,425
Par	4	5	3	4	4	4	5	4	3	36	4	5	4	4	3	4	4	3	5	36	72

Source:^[2]

Winners

Year	Winner(s)[a]	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Purse (US$)	Winner's share ($)	Ref.
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
2024	Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy	263	−25	Playoff	Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer	8,900,000	1,286,050 (each)
2023	Nick Hardy and Davis Riley	258	−30	2 strokes	Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor	8,600,000	1,242,700 (each)
2022	Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele	259	−29	2 strokes	Sam Burns and Billy Horschel	8,300,000	1,199,350 (each)
2021	Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith (2)	268	−20	Playoff	Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel	7,400,000	1,069,300 (each)
2020	Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic							[23]
2019	Ryan Palmer and Jon Rahm	262	−26	3 strokes	Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio García	7,300,000	1,051,200 (each)
2018	Billy Horschel (2) and Scott Piercy	266	−22	1 stroke	Jason Dufner and Pat Perez	7,200,000	1,036,800 (each)
2017	Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith	261	−27	Playoff	Scott Brown and Kevin Kisner	7,100,000	1,022,400 (each)
2016	Brian Stuard	201[b]	−15	Playoff	An Byeong-hun Jamie Lovemark	7,000,000	1,260,000
2015	Justin Rose	266	−22	1 stroke	Cameron Tringale	6,900,000	1,242,000
2014	Noh Seung-yul	269	−19	2 strokes	Robert Streb Andrew Svoboda	6,800,000	1,224,000
2013	Billy Horschel	268	−20	1 stroke	D. A. Points	6,600,000	1,188,000
2012	Jason Dufner	269	−19	Playoff	Ernie Els	6,400,000	1,152,000
2011	Bubba Watson	273	−15	Playoff	Webb Simpson	6,400,000	1,152,000
2010	Jason Bohn	270	−18	2 strokes	Jeff Overton	6,400,000	1,152,000
2009	Jerry Kelly	274	−14	1 stroke	Charles Howell III Rory Sabbatini Charlie Wi	6,300,000	1,134,000
2008	Andrés Romero	275	−13	1 stroke	Peter Lonard	6,200,000	1,116,000
2007	Nick Watney	273	−15	3 strokes	Ken Duke	6,100,000	1,098,000
2006	Chris Couch	269	−19	1 stroke	Fred Funk Charles Howell III	6,000,000	1,080,000	[6]
2005	Tim Petrovic	275	−13	Playoff	James Driscoll	5,500,000	990,000	[24]
HP Classic of New Orleans
2004	Vijay Singh	266	−22	1 stroke	Phil Mickelson Joe Ogilvie	5,100,000	918,000
2003	Steve Flesch	267	−21	Playoff	Bob Estes	5,000,000	900,000
Compaq Classic of New Orleans
2002	K. J. Choi	271	−17	4 strokes	Dudley Hart Geoff Ogilvy	4,500,000	810,000
2001	David Toms	266	−22	2 strokes	Phil Mickelson	4,000,000	720,000
2000	Carlos Franco (2)	270	−18	Playoff	Blaine McCallister	3,400,000	612,000
1999	Carlos Franco	269	−19	2 strokes	Steve Flesch Harrison Frazar	2,600,000	468,000
Freeport-McDermott Classic
1998	Lee Westwood	273	−15	3 strokes	Steve Flesch	1,700,000	306,000
1997	Brad Faxon	272	−16	3 strokes	Bill Glasson Jesper Parnevik	1,500,000	270,000
1996	Scott McCarron	275	−13	5 strokes	Tom Watson	1,200,000	216,000
Freeport-McMoRan Classic
1995	Davis Love III	274	−14	Playoff	Mike Heinen	1,200,000	216,000
1994	Ben Crenshaw (2)	273	−15	3 strokes	José María Olazábal	1,200,000	216,000
Freeport-McMoRan Golf Classic
1993	Mike Standly	281	−7	1 stroke	Russ Cochran Payne Stewart	1,000,000	180,000
1992	Chip Beck (2)	276	−12	1 stroke	Greg Norman Mike Standly	1,000,000	180,000
USF&G Classic
1991	Ian Woosnam	275	−13	Playoff	Jim Hallet	1,000,000	180,000
1990	David Frost	276	−12	1 stroke	Greg Norman	1,000,000	180,000
1989	Tim Simpson	274	−14	2 strokes	Greg Norman Hal Sutton	750,000	135,000
1988	Chip Beck	262	−26	7 strokes	Lanny Wadkins	750,000	135,000	[5]
1987	Ben Crenshaw	268	−20	3 strokes	Curtis Strange	500,000	90,000	[25]
1986	Calvin Peete	269	−19	5 strokes	Pat McGowan	500,000	90,000
1985	Seve Ballesteros	205[b]	−11	2 strokes	Peter Jacobsen John Mahaffey	400,000	72,000
1984	Bob Eastwood	272	−16	3 strokes	Larry Rinker	400,000	72,000
1983	Bill Rogers	274	−14	3 strokes	David Edwards Jay Haas Vance Heafner	400,000	72,000
1982	Scott Hoch	206[b]	−10	2 strokes	Bob Shearer Tom Watson	300,000	54,000
USF&G New Orleans Open
1981	Tom Watson (2)	270	−18	2 strokes	Bruce Fleisher	350,000	63,000
Greater New Orleans Open
1980	Tom Watson	273	−15	2 strokes	Lee Trevino	250,000	45,000
First NBC New Orleans Open
1979	Hubert Green	273	−15	1 stroke	Frank Conner Bruce Lietzke Steve Melnyk Lee Trevino	250,000	45,000
1978	Lon Hinkle	271	−17	1 stroke	Gibby Gilbert Fuzzy Zoeller	200,000	40,000
1977	Jim Simons	273	−15	3 strokes	Stan Lee	175,000	35,000
1976	Larry Ziegler	274	−14	1 stroke	Victor Regalado	175,000	35,000
1975	Billy Casper (2)	271	−17	2 strokes	Peter Oosterhuis	150,000	30,000
Greater New Orleans Open
1974	Lee Trevino	267	−21	8 strokes	Bobby Cole Ben Crenshaw	150,000	30,000
1973	Jack Nicklaus	280	−8	Playoff	Miller Barber	125,000	25,000
1972	Gary Player	279	−9	1 stroke	Dave Eichelberger Jack Nicklaus	125,000	25,000
Greater New Orleans Open Invitational
1971	Frank Beard (2)	276	−12	1 stroke	Hubert Green	125,000	25,000
1970	Miller Barber	278	−10	Playoff	Bob Charles Howie Johnson	125,000	25,000
1969	Larry Hinson	275	−13	Playoff	Frank Beard	100,000	20,000	[26]
1968	George Archer	271	−17	2 strokes	Bert Yancey	100,000	20,000	[26]
1967	George Knudson	277	−11	1 stroke	Jack Nicklaus	100,000	20,000	[26]
1966	Frank Beard	276	−12	2 strokes	Gardner Dickinson	100,000	20,000	[26]
1965	Dick Mayer	273	−15	1 stroke	Bruce Devlin Billy Martindale	100,000	20,000	[4][26]
1964	Mason Rudolph	283	−5	1 stroke	Jack Nicklaus Chi-Chi Rodríguez Glenn Stuart	50,000	7,500	[26] [27]
1963	Bo Wininger (2)	279	−9	3 strokes	Tony Lema Bob Rosburg	40,000	6,400	[26]
1962	Bo Wininger	281	−7	2 strokes	Bob Rosburg	30,000	4,300	[26]
1961	Doug Sanders	272	−16	5 strokes	Gay Brewer Mac Main	30,000	4,300	[26]
1960	Dow Finsterwald	270	−18	6 strokes	Al Besselink	25,000	3,500	[26]
1959	Bill Collins	280	−8	3 strokes	Jack Burke Jr. Tom Nieporte	20,000	2,800	[26]
1958	Billy Casper	278	−10	Playoff	Ken Venturi	20,000	2,800	[26]
1949–1957: No tournament
New Orleans Open
1948	Bob Hamilton	280	−4	1 stroke	Roberto De Vicenzo Fred Haas Lawson Little	10,000	2,000	[28]
1947: No tournament
1946	Byron Nelson (2)	277	−11	5 strokes	Ben Hogan	7,500	1,500	[29][30]
1945	Byron Nelson	284	−4	Playoff	Jug McSpaden	5,000	1,300	[31][32]
1944	Sammy Byrd	285	−3	5 strokes	Byron Nelson	5,000	1,000	[33]
1943: No tournament
1942	Lloyd Mangrum	281	−7	1 stroke	Lawson Little Sam Snead	5,000	1,000	[34]
1941	Henry Picard (2)	276	−12	2 strokes	Ben Hogan	5,000	1,200	[35]
1940	Jimmy Demaret	286	−2	1 stroke	Ralph Guldahl Jug McSpaden Sam Snead	10,000	2,000	[36]
1939	Henry Picard	284	−4	5 strokes	Dick Metz	10,000	2,000	[37][38]
Crescent City Open
1938	Harry Cooper	285	−3	4 strokes	Jug McSpaden	5,000	1,200	[39]

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records
Sources:^[40][41]

Multiple winners

There is yet to be a three-time winner at New Orleans, but eleven have won twice. Four won in consecutive years: Byron Nelson, Bo Wininger, Tom Watson, and Franco.

2 wins

• Henry Picard: 1939, 1941
• Byron Nelson: 1945, 1946
• Bo Wininger: 1962, 1963
• Frank Beard: 1966, 1971
• Billy Casper: 1958, 1975
• Tom Watson: 1980, 1981
• Chip Beck: 1988, 1992
• Ben Crenshaw: 1987, 1994
• Carlos Franco: 1999, 2000
• Billy Horschel: 2013, 2018
• Cameron Smith: 2017, 2021

See also

• Southern (Spring) Open, a 1922 PGA Tour event in New Orleans
• Sports in New Orleans

Notes

1. From 2017 onwards, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans became a two-player team event.
2. Shortened to 54 holes due to weather.

References

1. Zurich Classic – Our history
2. "Course Map". Zurich Classic. April 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
3. About Fore!Kids Foundation
4. "Old Man Mayer wins golf on 30-yard chip shot". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. May 17, 1965. p. 10.
5. "Beck collects it all but Hogan record". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. April 25, 1988. p. 2C.
6. "Couch's 55-foot chip-in wins Zurich Classic". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. May 1, 2006. p. C5.
7. Schupak, Adam (April 26, 2017). "Zurich Classic Turns to Team Play as a Jolt to PGA Tour Routine". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
8. Everill, Ben (April 25, 2018). "Format change brings potential Sunday volatility at Zurich Classic". PGA Tour.
9. "A Brief History of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans". lgagolf.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
10. "Our History – Zurich Classic of New Orleans". zurichgolfclassic.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
11. Beard Takes New Orleans
12. Tampering charged; Golfer suspended
13. Keeping A Close Eye On The Ball
14. Radosta, John S. (April 1, 1974). "Trevino Wins by 8 Shots". The New York Times.
15. Casper Wins New Orleans Tournament
16. Hinkle wins in New Orleans Player's streak ends
17. O'Grady fined and suspended by US Tour
18. Norman felled by Frost's bunker shot
19. GOLF; Late Berth In Masters to Davis Love
20. Paraguay's Franco gets first tour victory in New Orleans
21. Choi wins Compaq Classic by four strokes
22. Singh rallies for second straight title
23. "PGA Tour statement regarding additional tournament cancellations". PGA Tour. March 17, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
24. "Petrovic delivers, wins Zurich Classic". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. May 2, 2005. p. C2.
25. "Smooth putting aids Crenshaw". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 23, 1987. p. 2B.
26. Johnson, Sal; Seanor, Dave, eds. (2009). The USA Today Golfers Encyclopedia. New York, New York: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60239-302-8.
27. "Rudolph wins tourney title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 3, 1964. p. 3B.
28. "Bob Hamilton Golf Victor". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. February 23, 1948. p. 16. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
29. "Nelson First In N.O. Tourney". The Lewiston Daily Sun. Lewiston, Maine. Associated Press. February 18, 1946. p. 8. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
30. "Byron Nelson Tops Hogan To Win New Orleans Open". Eugene Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. Associated Press. February 18, 1946. p. 5. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
31. "McSpaden Falters To Finish In Tie With Byron Nelson". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Canada. Associated Press. February 13, 1945. p. 8. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
32. "Nelson Wins Tourney With Sensational 65". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal, Canada. Associated Press. February 14, 1945. p. 16. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
33. "Byrd Tops Field To Win All War Bond Open Tourney". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, Florida. Associated Press. February 29, 1944. p. 5. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
34. "Mangrum New Orleans Golf Winner". The Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. Associated Press. February 21, 1942. p. 9. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
35. "Picard Wins Open With Record 276". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. United Press. February 17, 1941. p. 13. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
36. "TexasPro Fattens Purse". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Spartanburg, South Carolina. Associated Press. February 27, 1940. p. 7. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
37. "Week-End Sport Results In Brief". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. Associated Press. February 20, 1939. p. 6. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
38. "Henry Picard Wins His Second Tourney". The Norwalk Hour. Norwalk, Connecticut. Associated Press. February 27, 1939. p. 9. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
39. "Cooper Clips Par For Open Victory". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. February 22, 1938. p. 5A. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
40. Zurich Classic of New Orleans – Winners - at pgatour.com
41. Zurich Classic of New Orleans – Past Winners & Highlights Archived April 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Official website
• Coverage on PGA Tour's official site
• TPC Louisiana – official site
• English Turn Golf & Country Club – former host (1989–2004, 2006)
• Lakewood Golf Club – former host (1963–1988)
• City Park Golf Courses – former host (1937–1962)

29.902°N 90.190°W / 29.902; -90.190