Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Tournament information
Location	Avondale, Louisiana
Established	1938,[1] 83 years ago
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$7,400,000
Month played	April
Tournament record score
Aggregate	262 Chip Beck (1988) (individual) 261 Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith (2017) (team) 261 Scott Brown and Kevin Kisner (2017) (team)
To par	−26 as above (individual) −27 as above (team)
Current champion
Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith
Location Map
TPC Louisiana Location in the United States TPC Louisiana Location in Louisiana Show map of the United StatesShow map of LouisianaShow all

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played in Avondale, Louisiana. Beginning 83 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]

The purse was $7.0 million in 2016, with a winner's share of $1.26 million. First prize reached five figures in 1965^[4] and six figures in 1988,^[5] and passed the million-dollar mark in 2006.^[6] The purse for 2021 was $7.4 million.

In 2017, the Zurich Classic became a team event, with eighty teams of two. 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]

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

Source:^[2]

Winners[]

Year	Winner(s)[a]	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Winner's share ($)	Purse ($)	Ref.
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Team event (2017–)
2021	Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith (2)	268	−20	Playoff	Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel	1,069,300 (each)	7,400,000
2020	Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic							[11]
2019	Ryan Palmer and Jon Rahm	262	−26	3 strokes	Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio García	1,051,200 (each)	7,300,000
2018	Billy Horschel (2) and Scott Piercy	266	−22	1 stroke	Jason Dufner and Pat Perez	1,036,800 (each)	7,200,000
2017	Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith	261	−27	Playoff	Scott Brown and Kevin Kisner	1,022,400 (each)	7,100,000
Individual tournament (1938–2016)
2016	Brian Stuard	201[b]	−15	Playoff	An Byeong-hun Jamie Lovemark	1,260,000	7,000,000
2015	Justin Rose	266	−22	1 stroke	Cameron Tringale	1,242,000	6,900,000
2014	Noh Seung-yul	269	−19	2 strokes	Robert Streb Andrew Svoboda	1,224,000	6,800,000
2013	Billy Horschel	268	−20	1 stroke	D. A. Points	1,188,000	6,600,000
2012	Jason Dufner	269	−19	Playoff	Ernie Els	1,152,000	6,400,000
2011	Bubba Watson	273	−15	Playoff	Webb Simpson	1,152,000	6,400,000
2010	Jason Bohn	270	−18	2 strokes	Jeff Overton	1,152,000	6,400,000
2009	Jerry Kelly	274	−14	1 stroke	Charles Howell III Rory Sabbatini Charlie Wi	1,134,000	6,300,000
2008	Andrés Romero	275	−13	1 stroke	Peter Lonard	1,116,000	6,200,000
2007	Nick Watney	273	−15	3 strokes	Ken Duke	1,098,000	6,100,000
2006	Chris Couch	269	−19	1 stroke	Fred Funk Charles Howell III	1,080,000	6,000,000	[6]
2005	Tim Petrovic	275	−13	Playoff	James Driscoll	990,000	5,500,000	[12]
HP Classic of New Orleans
2004	Vijay Singh	266	−22	1 stroke	Phil Mickelson Joe Ogilvie	918,000	5,100,000
2003	Steve Flesch	267	−21	Playoff	Bob Estes	900,000	5,000,000
Compaq Classic of New Orleans
2002	K. J. Choi	271	−17	4 strokes	Dudley Hart Geoff Ogilvy	810,000	4,500,000
2001	David Toms	266	−22	2 strokes	Phil Mickelson	720,000	4,000,000
2000	Carlos Franco (2)	270	−18	Playoff	Blaine McCallister	612,000	3,400,000
1999	Carlos Franco	269	−19	2 strokes	Steve Flesch Harrison Frazar	468,000	2,600,000
Freeport-McDermott Classic
1998	Lee Westwood	273	−15	3 strokes	Steve Flesch	306,000	1,700,000
1997	Brad Faxon	272	−16	3 strokes	Bill Glasson Jesper Parnevik	270,000	1,500,000
1996	Scott McCarron	275	−13	5 strokes	Tom Watson	216,000	1,200,000
Freeport-McMoRan Classic
1995	Davis Love III	274	−14	Playoff	Mike Heinen	216,000	1,200,000
1994	Ben Crenshaw (2)	273	−15	3 strokes	José María Olazábal	216,000	1,200,000
Freeport-McMoRan Golf Classic
1993	Mike Standly	281	−7	1 stroke	Russ Cochran Payne Stewart	180,000	1,000,000
1992	Chip Beck (2)	276	−12	1 stroke	Greg Norman Mike Standly	180,000	1,000,000
USF&G Classic
1991	Ian Woosnam	275	−13	Playoff	Jim Hallet	180,000	1,000,000
1990	David Frost	276	−12	1 stroke	Greg Norman	180,000	1,000,000
1989	Tim Simpson	274	−14	2 strokes	Greg Norman Hal Sutton	135,000	750,000
1988	Chip Beck	262	−26	7 strokes	Lanny Wadkins	135,000	750,000	[5]
1987	Ben Crenshaw	268	−20	3 strokes	Curtis Strange	90,000	500,000	[13]
1986	Calvin Peete	269	−19	5 strokes	Pat McGowan	90,000	500,000
1985	Seve Ballesteros	205[b]	−11	2 strokes	Peter Jacobsen John Mahaffey	72,000	400,000
1984	Bob Eastwood	272	−16	3 strokes	Larry Rinker	72,000	400,000
1983	Bill Rogers	274	−14	3 strokes	David Edwards Jay Haas Vance Heafner	72,000	400,000
1982	Scott Hoch	206[b]	−10	2 strokes	Bob Shearer Tom Watson	54,000	300,000
USF&G New Orleans Open
1981	Tom Watson (2)	270	−18	2 strokes	Bruce Fleisher	63,000	350,000
Greater New Orleans Open
1980	Tom Watson	273	−15	2 strokes	Lee Trevino	45,000	250,000
First NBC New Orleans Open
1979	Hubert Green	273	−15	1 stroke	Frank Conner Bruce Lietzke Steve Melnyk Lee Trevino	45,000	250,000
1978	Lon Hinkle	271	−17	1 stroke	Gibby Gilbert Fuzzy Zoeller	40,000	200,000
1977	Jim Simons	273	−15	3 strokes		35,000	175,000
1976	Larry Ziegler	274	−14	1 stroke	Victor Regalado	35,000	175,000
1975	Billy Casper (2)	271	−17	2 strokes	Peter Oosterhuis	30,000	150,000
Greater New Orleans Open
1974	Lee Trevino	267	−21	8 strokes	Bobby Cole Ben Crenshaw	30,000	150,000
1973	Jack Nicklaus	280	−8	Playoff	Miller Barber	25,000	125,000
1972	Gary Player	279	−9	1 stroke	Dave Eichelberger Jack Nicklaus	25,000	125,000
Greater New Orleans Open Invitational
1971	Frank Beard (2)	276	−12	1 stroke	Hubert Green	25,000	125,000
1970	Miller Barber	278	−10	Playoff	Bob Charles Howie Johnson	25,000	125,000
1969	Larry Hinson	275	−13	Playoff	Frank Beard	20,000	100,000	[14]: 678
1968	George Archer	271	−17	2 strokes	Bert Yancey	20,000	100,000	[14]: 671
1967	George Knudson	277	−11	1 stroke	Jack Nicklaus	20,000	100,000	[14]: 665
1966	Frank Beard	276	−12	2 strokes	Gardner Dickinson	20,000	100,000	[14]: 659
1965	Dick Mayer	273	−15	1 stroke	Bruce Devlin Billy Martindale	20,000	100,000	[4][14]: 652
1964	Mason Rudolph	283	−5	1 stroke	Jack Nicklaus Chi-Chi Rodríguez	7,500	50,000	[14]: 644–5  [15]
1963	Bo Wininger (2)	279	−9	3 strokes	Tony Lema Bob Rosburg	6,400	40,000	[14]: 638
1962	Bo Wininger	281	−7	2 strokes	Bob Rosburg	4,300	30,000	[14]: 631
1961	Doug Sanders	272	−16	5 strokes	Gay Brewer	4,300	30,000	[14]: 624
1960	Dow Finsterwald	270	−18	6 strokes	Al Besselink	3,500	25,000	[14]: 618–9
1959	Bill Collins	280	−8	3 strokes	Jack Burke Jr. Tom Nieporte	2,800	20,000	[14]: 611
1958	Billy Casper	278	−10	Playoff	Ken Venturi	2,800	20,000	[14]: 604
1949-57: No tournament
New Orleans Open
1948	Bob Hamilton	280	−4	1 stroke	Roberto De Vicenzo Fred Haas Lawson Little	2,000	10,000	[16]
1947: No tournament
1946	Byron Nelson (2)	277	−11	5 strokes	Ben Hogan	1,500	7,500	[17][18]
1945	Byron Nelson	284	−4	Playoff	Jug McSpaden	1,300	5,000	[19][20]
1944	Sammy Byrd	285	−3	5 strokes	Byron Nelson	1,000	5,000	[21]
1943: No tournament
1942	Lloyd Mangrum	281	−7	1 stroke	Lawson Little Sam Snead	1,000	5,000	[22]
1941	Henry Picard (2)	276	−12	2 strokes	Ben Hogan	1,200	5,000	[23]
1940	Jimmy Demaret	286	−2	1 stroke	Ralph Guldahl Jug McSpaden Sam Snead	2,000	10,000	[24]
1939	Henry Picard	284	−4	5 strokes	Dick Metz	2,000	10,000	[25][26]
Crescent City Open
1938	Harry Cooper	285	−3	4 strokes	Jug McSpaden	1,200	5,000	[27]

Sources:^[28][29]
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records

Multiple winners[]

There is yet to be a three-time winner at New Orleans, but ten have won twice; the last was Carlos Franco twenty-one years ago in 2000. Four won in consecutive years: Byron Nelson, Bo Wininger, Tom Watson, and Franco.

2 wins

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.^[30]
• 1972: PGA Tour rookie was disqualified after it was learned he had changed his scorecard earlier in the tournament.^[31] In addition to his disqualification, the PGA Tour lifted Gonzales playing privileges.^[32]
• 1975: Billy Casper wins for the 51st and ultimately last time on the PGA Tour. He beats Peter Oosterhuis by two shots.^[33]
• 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.^[34]
• 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.^[35]
• 1990: David Frost beats Greg Norman by one shot after holing out from a sand trap on the 72nd hole.^[36]
• 1995: In need of a win to qualify for The Masters, Davis Love III defeats Mike Heinen in a sudden death playoff.^[37]
• 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.^[38]
• 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.^[39]
• 2004: Vijay Singh shoots a final round 63 to beat Phil Mickelson and Joe Ogilvie by one shot.^[40]
• 2017: The event switched to a team format.

See also[]

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

References[]

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)

Coordinates: 29°54′07″N 90°11′24″W / 29.902°N 90.190°W / 29.902; -90.190