The most unique event on the PGA Tour – the Zurich Classic of New Orleans – begins Thursday, April 23 at TPC Louisiana. Teams of two compete for a share of the $9.5 million prize pool, with Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick as the current betting favorites in the Zurich Classic odds.
Zurich Classic Odds 2026: Best Bets and Sleeper Picks
- Zurich Classic odds
- Fitzpatrick brothers and Lowry/Kopeka headline the favorites
- Can this Canadian duo get it done?
Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Outside of Cam Smith, who is now with LIV Golf, no golfer has won the Zurich twice since it became a team event in 2017.
Check out the top betting favorites for this weekend’s tournament and why there’s great value in a massive +3200 underdog.
Zurich Classic of New Orleans: A Unique PGA Tour Format
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is unique because it’s a team event, unlike standard PGA Tour events where players compete individually. Teams of two rotate between Four-ball (both players play their own ball and the lower score counts) and Foursomes (teammates hit the same ball, alternating shots).
Most PGA Tour events are 72-hole stroke play, with each golfer’s total score determining the winner. In contrast, Zurich’s format emphasizes chemistry, strategy, and teamwork, especially in alternate shot, where mistakes are harder to recover from.
⛳ Zurich Classic 2026 Odds
| Duo | Odds |
|---|---|
| Matt Fitzpatrick/Alex Fitzpatrick | +1100 |
| Brooks Koepka/Shane Lowry | +1100 |
| Sudarshan Yellamaraju/Ryan Gerard | +1400 |
| Andrew Novak/Ben Griffin | +1800 |
| Aaron Rai/Sahith Theegala | +1800 |
| John Keefer/Michael Brennan | +2000 |
| Denny McCarty/Mac Meissner | +2200 |
| Wyndham Clark/Taylor Moore | +2200 |
Odds provided by bet365
Bet $10 Get $200 in Bonus Bets Win or LoseClaim bonusMinimum $10 deposit required. Minimum odds -500 or greater. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. T&CS, time limits and exclusions apply. Bets restrictions and T&C's apply. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ, CO, IN, KY, LA, MD, NC, NJ, OH, VA) or 1-800-BETS OFF (IA). 21+ only(18+ in KY). Must be present in AZ/CO/IA/IN/KY/LA (select parishes)/NC/NJ/OH/VA.
Current Favorites to win the 2026 Zurich Classic
Matt Fitzpatrick/Alex Fitzpatrick | +1200 at Stake
It’s understandable that Matt Fitzpatrick and his brother Alex would have the shortest Zurich Classic odds. Matt is coming off of an impressive win at the RBC Heritage, his second time winning in South Carolina, and is climbing the PGA Championship odds board. Alex is a skilled golfer in his own right, ranked in the top-150 in the OWGR and with one win on the DP World Tour.
Past results should play a big part in your betting strategy for this weekend. While Matt is playing arguably the best golf of his career right now, it’s worth noting that he and Alex missed the cut at last year’s Zurich Classic. They were T11 in 2024.
Brooks Koepka/Shane Lowry | +1300 at bet365
Outside of the elder Fitzpatrick, Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry are undoubtedly the biggest names at the Zurich Classic this weekend. Lowry is a former champion in Louisiana, having won with his good buddy Rory McIlroy in 2024. Koepka, meanwhile, is back on the PGA Tour after a two-year hiatus with LIV Golf and has shown steady improvement throughout the early portion of the season.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju/Ryan Gerard | +1500 at bet365
The Can-Am Connection of Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Ryan Gerard surprisingly has the third-shortest odds at bet365. Yellamaraju is a PGA Tour rookie who has looked impressive with limited starts, ranking 32nd in FedEx Cup standings with five top-25 finishes, including one top-five, in 10 starts. Gerard has one career victory on the PGA Tour and four top-25 finishes this season.
Best Zurich Classic Sleeper Pick
Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
MacKenzie Hughes/Taylor Pendrith | +3200 at bet365
Considering five of the eight Zurich Classic team format winners have been from the same country, there’s good reason to back Canadians MacKenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith in the Zurich Classic odds. Canadians Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor were runners-up in 2023.
Neither Hughes nor Pendrith competed last year, but Pendirth recorded a T11 finish in 2024 with fellow Canadian Corey Conners. They do have history together, however, competing as a duo in the 2024 Presidents Cup.
Player familiarity – and teammate chemistry – will be particularly beneficial in the team format at the Zurich Classic.
Past Zurich Classic Winners
| Year | Winners | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak | -28 |
| 2024 | Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy | -25 |
| 2023 | Nick Hardy and Davis Riley | -30 |
| 2022 | Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele | -29 |
| 2021 | Marc Leishman and Cam Smith | -20 |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | N/A |
| 2019 | Ryan Palmer and Jon Rahm | -26 |
| 2018 | Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy | -22 |
| 2017 | Jonas Blixt and Cam Smith | -27 |
The Zurich Classic has been a team event since 2017, prior to which it was an individual stroke play event.
Zurich Classic Betting Trends
- All winning duos in the eight events since the Zurich Classic became a team event have finished at least 20-under par.
- Cam Smith is the only two-time winner in the Zurich Classic’s team format and he isn’t in the field this week as he’s now with LIV Golf.
- There have been three playoffs at the Zurich Classic since 2017 and only one team has won by more than two strokes.
- Five of the eight winners since 2017 have shared the same nationality.
Zurich Classic FAQs
Where is the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans?
The Zurich Classic is held annually at TPC Louisiana, where it has been since 2007. The event itself is nearly 90 years and has undergone several name changes, including the Compag Classic of New Orleans (1999-2002) and First NBC New Orleans Open (1975-79).
It has been a team event since 2017.
What is alternate shot and best ball in golf?
At the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, teams of two rotate between two formats: alternate shot and best ball.
Alternate shot (also called Foursomes) means teammates hit one ball, taking turns on each stroke until the hole is finished. Best ball (or Four-ball) means both players play their own ball, and the lower score on each hole counts for the team.
Alternate shot is typically tougher and emphasizes teamwork, while best ball allows for more aggressive, individual play.
What other betting markets are available for the Zurich Classic?
Depending on the golf betting site, you can bet on a variety of markets for the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In addition to the outright market (betting on the winning team), you can also pick duos to finish top-5, top-10, or top-20.
There are also each-way markets for every team, which bets on a team to win and finish in a certain position. If they win both bets are settled as a victory and you receive the entire profit, but if they just finish within the range you bet you’ll receive a percentage of the profit.
Other markets include lead after “X” round and “to play in final pairing on Sunday.”
Chris Roberts
