Zurich Classic of New Orleans
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Avondale, Louisiana |
| Established | 1938,[1] 86 years ago |
| Course(s) | TPC Louisiana |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,425 yards (6,789 m)[2] |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | $7.2 million |
| Month played | April |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 262 Chip Beck (1988) |
| To par | −26 Chip Beck (1988) |
| Current champion | |
 Billy Horschel & Scott Piercy | |
Avondale
Location in the United States
Avondale
Location in Louisiana
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a professional golf tournament in Louisiana on the PGA Tour, played in Avondale. Dating back 86 years ago to 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] six figures in 1988,[5] and passed the million dollar mark in 2006.[6]
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 be either 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 35 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/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
| 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
- Team event (2017– )
| Year | Players | Country | Score | To par | Margin of Victory |
Runners-up | Winner's share ($) |
Purse ($) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans (Team event) | |||||||||
| 2018 | Billy Horschel (2) & Scott Piercy |
 United States United States |
266 | −22 | 1 stroke | Jason Dufner & Pat Perez |
1,036,800 (each) |
7,200,000 | |
| 2017 | Jonas Blixt & Cameron Smith |
 Sweden Australia |
261 | −27 | Playoff | Scott Brown & Kevin Kisner |
1,022,400 (each) |
7,100,000 | |
- Individual event (1938–2016)
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To Par | Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up | Winner's share ($) |
Purse ($) | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | |||||||||
| 2016 | Brian Stuard | United States |
201^ | −15 | Playoff |  An Byeong-hun Jamie Lovemark |
1,260,000 | 7,000,000 | |
| 2015 | Justin Rose |  England |
266 | −22 | 1 stroke | Cameron Tringale |
1,242,000 | 6,900,000 | |
| 2014 | Noh Seung-yul | South Korea |
269 | −19 | 2 strokes | Robert Streb Andrew Svoboda |
1,224,000 | 6,800,000 | |
| 2013 | Billy Horschel | United States |
268 | −20 | 1 stroke | D. A. Points |
1,188,000 | 6,600,000 | |
| 2012 | Jason Dufner | United States |
269 | −19 | Playoff |  Ernie Els |
1,152,000 | 6,400,000 | |
| 2011 | Bubba Watson | United States |
273 | −15 | Playoff | Webb Simpson |
1,152,000 | 6,400,000 | |
| 2010 | Jason Bohn | United States |
270 | −18 | 2 strokes | Jeff Overton |
1,152,000 | 6,400,000 | |
| 2009 | Jerry Kelly | United States |
274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Charles Howell III Rory Sabbatini Charlie Wi |
1,134,000 | 6,300,000 | |
| 2008 | Andrés Romero |  Argentina |
275 | −13 | 1 stroke | Peter Lonard |
1,116,000 | 6,200,000 | |
| 2007 | Nick Watney | United States |
273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Ken Duke |
1,098,000 | 6,100,000 | |
| 2006 | Chris Couch | United States |
269 | −19 | 1 stroke | Fred Funk Charles Howell III |
1,080,000 | 6,000,000 | [6] |
| 2005 | Tim Petrovic | United States |
275 | −13 | Playoff | James Driscoll |
990,000 | 5,500,000 | [11] |
| HP Classic of New Orleans | |||||||||
| 2004 | Vijay Singh |  Fiji |
266 | −22 | 1 stroke | Phil Mickelson Joe Ogilvie |
918,000 | 5,100,000 | |
| 2003 | Steve Flesch | United States |
267 | −21 | Playoff | Bob Estes |
900,000 | 5,000,000 | |
| Compaq Classic of New Orleans | |||||||||
| 2002 | K. J. Choi | South Korea |
271 | −17 | 4 strokes | Dudley Hart Geoff Ogilvy |
810,000 | 4,500,000 | |
| 2001 | David Toms | United States |
266 | −22 | 2 strokes | Phil Mickelson |
720,000 | 4,000,000 | |
| 2000 | Carlos Franco (2) |  Paraguay |
270 | −18 | Playoff | Blaine McCallister |
612,000 | 3,400,000 | |
| 1999 | Carlos Franco | Paraguay |
269 | −19 | 2 strokes | Steve Flesch Harrison Frazar |
468,000 | 2,600,000 | |
| Freeport-McDermott Classic | |||||||||
| 1998 | Lee Westwood | England |
273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Steve Flesch |
306,000 | 1,700,000 | |
| 1997 | Brad Faxon | United States |
272 | −16 | 3 strokes | Bill Glasson Jesper Parnevik |
270,000 | 1,500,000 | |
| 1996 | Scott McCarron | United States |
275 | −13 | 5 strokes | Tom Watson |
216,000 | 1,200,000 | |
| Freeport-McMoRan Classic | |||||||||
| 1995 | Davis Love III | United States |
274 | −14 | Playoff | Mike Heinen |
216,000 | 1,200,000 | |
| 1994 | Ben Crenshaw (2) | United States |
273 | −15 | 3 strokes |  José María Olazábal |
216,000 | 1,200,000 | |
| Freeport-McMoRan Golf Classic | |||||||||
| 1993 | Mike Standly | United States |
281 | −7 | 1 stroke | Russ Cochran Payne Stewart |
180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| 1992 | Chip Beck (2) | United States |
276 | −12 | 1 stroke | Greg Norman Mike Standly |
180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| USF&G Classic | |||||||||
| 1991 | Ian Woosnam |  Wales |
275 | −13 | Playoff | Jim Hallet |
180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| 1990 | David Frost |  South Africa |
276 | −12 | 1 stroke | Greg Norman |
180,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| 1989 | Tim Simpson | United States |
274 | −14 | 2 strokes | Greg Norman Hal Sutton |
135,000 | 750,000 | |
| 1988 | Chip Beck | United States |
262 | −26 | 7 strokes | Lanny Wadkins |
135,000 | 750,000 | [5] |
| 1987 | Ben Crenshaw | United States |
268 | −20 | 3 strokes | Curtis Strange |
90,000 | 500,000 | [12] |
| 1986 | Calvin Peete | United States |
269 | −19 | 5 strokes | Pat McGowan |
90,000 | 500,000 | |
| 1985 | Seve Ballesteros | Spain |
205^ | −11 | 2 strokes | Peter Jacobsen John Mahaffey |
72,000 | 400,000 | |
| 1984 | Bob Eastwood | United States |
272 | −16 | 3 strokes | Larry Rinker |
72,000 | 400,000 | |
| 1983 | Bill Rogers | United States |
274 | −14 | 3 strokes | David Edwards Jay Haas Vance Heafner |
72,000 | 400,000 | |
| 1982 | Scott Hoch | United States |
206^ | −10 | 2 strokes | Bob Shearer Tom Watson |
54,000 | 300,000 | |
| USF&G New Orleans Open | |||||||||
| 1981 | Tom Watson (2) | United States |
270 | −18 | 2 strokes | Bruce Fleisher |
63,000 | 350,000 | |
| Greater New Orleans Open | |||||||||
| 1980 | Tom Watson | United States |
273 | −15 | 2 strokes | Lee Trevino |
45,000 | 250,000 | |
| First NBC New Orleans Open | |||||||||
| 1979 | Hubert Green | United States |
273 | −15 | 1 stroke | Frank Conner Bruce Lietzke Steve Melnyk Lee Trevino |
45,000 | 250,000 | |
| 1978 | Lon Hinkle | United States |
271 | −17 | 1 stroke | Gibby Gilbert Fuzzy Zoeller |
40,000 | 200,000 | |
| 1977 | Jim Simons | United States |
273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Stan Lee |
35,000 | 175,000 | |
| 1976 | Larry Ziegler | United States |
274 | −14 | 1 stroke |  Victor Regalado |
35,000 | 175,000 | |
| 1975 | Billy Casper (2) | United States |
271 | −17 | 2 strokes | Peter Oosterhuis |
30,000 | 150,000 | |
| Greater New Orleans Open | |||||||||
| 1974 | Lee Trevino | United States |
267 | −21 | 8 strokes |  Bobby Cole Ben Crenshaw |
30,000 | 150,000 | |
| 1973 | Jack Nicklaus | United States |
280 | −8 | Playoff | Miller Barber |
25,000 | 125,000 | |
| 1972 | Gary Player | South Africa |
279 | −9 | 1 stroke | Dave Eichelberger Jack Nicklaus |
25,000 | 125,000 | |
| Greater New Orleans Open Invitational | |||||||||
| 1971 | Frank Beard (2) | United States |
276 | −12 | 1 stroke | Hubert Green |
25,000 | 125,000 | |
| 1970 | Miller Barber | United States |
278 | −10 | Playoff |  Bob Charles Howie Johnson |
25,000 | 125,000 | |
| 1969 | Larry Hinson | United States |
275 | −13 | Playoff | Frank Beard |
20,000 | 100,000 | [13]: 678 |
| 1968 | George Archer | United States |
271 | −17 | 2 strokes | Bert Yancey |
20,000 | 100,000 | [13]: 671 |
| 1967 | George Knudson |  Canada |
277 | −11 | 1 stroke | Jack Nicklaus |
20,000 | 100,000 | [13]: 665 |
| 1966 | Frank Beard | United States |
276 | −12 | 2 strokes | Gardner Dickinson |
20,000 | 100,000 | [13]: 659 |
| 1965 | Dick Mayer | United States |
273 | −15 | 1 stroke | Bruce Devlin Billy Martindale |
20,000 | 100,000 | [4][13]: 652 |
| 1964 | Mason Rudolph | United States |
283 | −5 | 1 stroke | Jack Nicklaus Chi-Chi Rodríguez Glenn Stuart |
7,500 | 50,000 | [13]: 644–5 [14] |
| 1963 | Bo Wininger (2) | United States |
279 | −9 | 3 strokes | Tony Lema Bob Rosburg |
6,400 | 40,000 | [13]: 638 |
| 1962 | Bo Wininger | United States |
281 | −7 | 2 strokes | Bob Rosburg |
4,300 | 30,000 | [13]: 631 |
| 1961 | Doug Sanders | United States |
272 | −16 | 5 strokes | Gay Brewer Mac Main |
4,300 | 30,000 | [13]: 624 |
| 1960 | Dow Finsterwald |  United States |
270 | −18 | 6 strokes | Al Besselink |
3,500 | 25,000 | [13]: 618–9 |
| 1959 | Bill Collins |  United States |
280 | −8 | 3 strokes | Jack Burke, Jr. Tom Nieporte |
2,800 | 20,000 | [13]: 611 |
| 1958 | Billy Casper | United States |
278 | −10 | Playoff | Ken Venturi |
2,800 | 20,000 | [13]: 604 |
| 1949-57: No tournament | |||||||||
| New Orleans Open | |||||||||
| 1948 | Bob Hamilton | United States |
280 | −4 | 1 stroke | Roberto De Vicenzo Fred Haas Lawson Little |
2,000 | 10,000 | [15] |
| 1947: No tournament | |||||||||
| 1946 | Byron Nelson (2) | United States |
277 | −11 | 5 strokes | Ben Hogan |
1,500 | 7,500 | [16][17] |
| 1945 | Byron Nelson | United States |
284 | −4 | Playoff | Jug McSpaden |
1,300 | 5,000 | [18][19] |
| 1944 | Sammy Byrd | United States |
285 | −3 | 5 strokes | Byron Nelson |
1,000 | 5,000 | [20] |
| 1943: No tournament | |||||||||
| 1942 | Lloyd Mangrum | United States |
281 | −7 | 1 stroke | Lawson Little Sam Snead |
1,000 | 5,000 | [21] |
| 1941 | Henry Picard (2) | United States |
276 | −12 | 2 strokes | Ben Hogan |
1,200 | 5,000 | [22] |
| 1940 | Jimmy Demaret | United States |
286 | −2 | 1 stroke | Ralph Guldahl Jug McSpaden Sam Snead |
2,000 | 10,000 | [23] |
| 1939 | Henry Picard | United States |
284 | −4 | 5 strokes | Dick Metz |
2,000 | 10,000 | [24][25] |
| Crescent City Open | |||||||||
| 1938 | Harry Cooper | England |
285 | −3 | 4 strokes | Jug McSpaden |
1,200 | 5,000 | [26] |
Main sources[27][28]
^ Weather-shortened to 54 holes
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records
Multiple winners
There is yet to be a three-time winner at New Orleans, but nine have won twice; the last was Carlos Franco twenty-four years ago in 2000. 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
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.[29]
- 1972: PGA Tour rookie Rogelio Gonzales was disqualified after it was learned he had changed his scorecard earlier in the tournament.[30] In addition to his disqualification, the PGA Tour lifted Gonzales playing privileges.[31]
- 1975: Billy Casper wins for the 51st and ultimately last time on the PGA Tour. He beats Peter Oosterhuis by two shots.[32]
- 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.[33]
- 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.[34]
- 1990: David Frost beats Greg Norman by one shot after holing out from a sand trap on the 72nd hole.[35]
- 1995: In need of a win to qualify for The Masters, Davis Love III defeats Mike Heinen in a sudden death playoff.[36]
- 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.[37]
- 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.[38]
- 2004: Vijay Singh shoots a final round 63 to beat Phil Mickelson and Joe Ogilvie by one shot.[39]
- 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
- ^ Zurich Classic – Our history
- ^ a b "Course Map". Zurich Classic. April 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
- ^ About Fore!Kids Foundation
- ^ a b "Old Man Mayer wins golf on 30-yard chip shot". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. May 17, 1965. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Beck collects it all but Hogan record". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. April 25, 1988. p. 2C.
- ^ a b "Couch's 55-foot chip-in wins Zurich Classic". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. May 1, 2006. p. C5.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Everill, Ben (April 25, 2018). "Format change brings potential Sunday volatility at Zurich Classic". PGA Tour.
- ^ a b "A Brief History of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans". lgagolf.org. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
- ^ a b c d e f "Our History – Zurich Classic of New Orleans". zurichgolfclassic.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
- ^ "Petrovic delivers, wins Zurich Classic". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. May 2, 2005. p. C2.
- ^ "Smooth putting aids Crenshaw". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 23, 1987. p. 2B.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Johnson, Sal; Seanor, Dave, eds. (2009). The USA Today Golfers Encyclopedia. New York, New York: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60239-302-8.
- ^ "Rudolph wins tourney title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 3, 1964. p. 3B.
- ^ "Bob Hamilton Golf Victor". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. February 23, 1948. p. 16. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "Nelson First In N.O. Tourney". The Lewiston Daily Sun. Lewiston, Maine. Associated Press. February 18, 1946. p. 8. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "McSpaden Falters To Finish In Tie With Byron Nelson". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Canada. Associated Press. February 13, 1945. p. 8. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "Nelson Wins Tourney With Sensational 65". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal, Canada. Associated Press. February 14, 1945. p. 16. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Mangrum New Orleans Golf Winner". The Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah. Associated Press. February 21, 1942. p. 9. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "Picard Wins Open With Record 276". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. United Press. February 17, 1941. p. 13. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "TexasPro Fattens Purse". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Spartanburg, South Carolina. Associated Press. February 27, 1940. p. 7. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "Week-End Sport Results In Brief". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. Associated Press. February 20, 1939. p. 6. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "Henry Picard Wins His Second Tourney". The Norwalk Hour. Norwalk, Connecticut. Associated Press. February 27, 1939. p. 9. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ "Cooper Clips Par For Open Victory". The Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. Associated Press. February 22, 1938. p. 5A. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
- ^ Zurich Classic of New Orleans – Winners - at pgatour.com
- ^ Zurich Classic of New Orleans – Past Winners & Highlights Archived April 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Beard Takes New Orleans
- ^ Tampering charged; Golfer suspended
- ^ Keeping A Close Eye On The Ball
- ^ Casper Wins New Orleans Tournament
- ^ Hinkle wins in New Orleans Player's streak ends
- ^ O'Grady fined and suspended by US Tour
- ^ Norman felled by Frost's bunker shot
- ^ GOLF; Late Berth In Masters to Davis Love
- ^ Paraguay's Franco gets first tour victory in New Orleans
- ^ Choi wins Compaq Classic by four strokes
- ^ Singh rallies for second straight title
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)