Here’s what’s known about the Zurich Classic format and recent updates.
- What it is: The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a PGA Tour event that features a two-player team format. Teams compete in alternating rounds of Four-ball (best ball) and Foursomes (alternate shot) across the tournament, creating a distinctive dynamic compared with standard individual stroke play .
- Latest notable iteration: In recent editions, the event continued using the team format at TPC Louisiana, with a multi-day schedule that typically includes four rounds ending on Sunday, and a purse in the region of $9–9.2 million. The 2025 edition highlighted first-time team winners and reinforced the event’s appeal as a fun yet competitive break from regular PGA Tour play .
- Format details you might care about:
- Rounds alternate between Four-ball and Foursomes (for example, Four-ball on the opening rounds and Foursomes on the later rounds, with order sometimes adjusted by year).
- The field comprises two-player teams, often with many top players choosing partners who also have PGA Tour status.
- If a playoff occurs, it is resolved in Foursomes on the 18th hole, using a hole-by-hole format, with potential changes to hole locations as the playoff progresses .
- Why it’s popular: The team-based format provides camaraderie and strategic variety (team dynamics, how to pair players with complementary strengths), and it also serves as an engaging foil to the usual grind of 72-hole individual events .
Illustrative example:
- 2025 Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana featured 80 two-man teams, a $9.2 million purse, and a schedule that culminated in a Sunday Foursomes finish, with a notable outcome of first-time team winners Novak and Griffin (Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin) at 28-under par .
If you’d like, I can pull the latest official PGA Tour notes or a concise timeline for the current year’s Zurich Classic format and schedule and present it in a quick summary.