Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2026 Betting Tips: Can anyone stop the Fitz Bros?

There are few players as gritty and resolute in contention as Matt Fitzpatrick, and he underlined that once again on Sunday, producing a superb birdie at the 18^th at Harbour Town to edge out Scottie Scheffler in a playoff, after the world No. 1 had clawed back a three-shot deficit on the 54-hole leader.

The victory saw the Englishman secure his second RBC Heritage title (after first winning in 2023), and he also doubled his tally for 2026, following his success at the Valspar Championship less than a month ago.

Fitzpatrick now heads to New Orleans this week in a more relaxed setting, where he will team up with his brother Alex at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Our golf tipster Jamie Worsley is back with four more each-way picks this week, so let's check out his Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2026 Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights...

Sports Welcome Offer

New customers only. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1+) on Sports in 7 days. £30 Sports & £20 Acca Free Bets within 10 hrs of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excl. & T&Cs Apply.

Sports Welcome Offer

New customers only. Deposit via Debit Card & place first bet £10+ (1/1+) on Sports in 7 days. £30 Sports & £20 Acca Free Bets within 10 hrs of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility, payment excl. & T&Cs Apply.

The 90^th edition of the Masters Tournament had absolutely everything. Rory McIlroy, who ended a 16-year wait for his first Green Jacket in 2025, returned to Augusta National and, at the end of another thrilling week, became just the fourth player to successfully defend the title – following in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus (1965, 1966), Nick Faldo (1989, 1990) and Tiger Woods (2001, 2002).

Scottie Scheffler produced a sensational weekend charge, firing rounds of 65 and 68 to finish just one shot adrift, having trailed by 12 through 36 holes. Elsewhere, contenders came and went during an exhilarating, back-and-forth final round.

Justin Rose briefly held the lead as he looked to avenge last year's narrow runner-up finish to McIlroy – his third such result at Augusta – but some costly mistakes on the back nine ultimately denied him. It was a heartbreaking outcome for a classy player who may not get many more chances to contend for a Green Jacket.

Cameron Young, who had surged into the final group with a superb seven-under 65 on Saturday, never quite got going on Sunday, while charges from Tyrrell Hatton and Russell Henley arrived just too late to truly threaten.

McIlroy, who had led by six at the halfway stage before being reeled in during round three, showed immense grit and determination to get the job done despite not having his A-game. He three-putted the 4^th for a double bogey and dropped another shot at the 6^th but responded superbly, picking up four shots between the 7^th and 13^th.

The standout moment came at the par-3 12^th, where McIlroy produced a nerveless approach to set up a crucial birdie on a hole that has undone so many over the years. That burst gave him enough of a cushion heading to the 18^th, allowing him the luxury of a closing bogey to secure victory.

This triumph carried a different feel to the tension-filled drama of 2025. On that occasion, the pressure was almost suffocating; here, even after a wayward drive on the 18^th, there was a sense of calm. With a healthy advantage, both McIlroy and his fans were able to savour the closing moments.

Now up to six major titles and sitting 12^th on the all-time list, there is a compelling case to be made that McIlroy is the greatest European golfer of all time. Still only 36, he now has time – playing with a newfound freedom – to at least match Harry Vardon's tally of seven majors and perhaps even move beyond it, into the very top tier of the game's all-time greats.

Now, on to Harbour Town...

*You can bet on the tournament and check out the latest Zurich Classic Odds over on betfred.com

TOURNAMENT HISTORY 

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans was first held in 1938 and boasts a star-studded roll of honour that includes names such as Gary Player (1972), Jack Nicklaus (1973) and Seve Ballesteros (1985).

Since its overhaul into a team event in 2017, the tournament now features two-man teams (74 this year) competing for the title, with fourballs (better ball) on Thursday and Saturday, and foursomes (alternate shot) on Friday and Sunday.

Last five winners:

• 2025

Winners: Ben Griffin & Andrew Novak (-28)

Runners-up: Nicolai Hojgaard & Rasmus Hojgaard (-27)

• 2024

Winners: Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry (-25, playoff)

Runners-up: Chad Ramey & Martin Trainer (-25)

• 2023

Winners: Nick Hardy & Davis Riley (-30)

Runners-up: Adam Hadwin & Nick Taylor (-28)

• 2022

Winners: Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele (-29)

Runners-up: Sam Burns & Billy Horschel (-27)

• 2021

Winners: Cameron Smith & Marc Leishman (-20, playoff)

Runners-up: Louis Oosthuizen & Charl Schwartzel (-20)

This event gives players a unique chance for a breakthrough win and that's what we saw last year, as Ben Griffin & Andrew Novak held on to their 54-hole lead to beat Danish twins Rasmus & Nicolai Hojgaard by one shot.

They return to defend and Griffin does so as a now three-time PGA Tour winner, adding titles at the Charles Schwab Challenge and World Wide Technology Championship following his win in New Orleans.

THE COURSE

TPC Louisiana

• Original architect / Year opened: Pete Dye / 2004
• Par / Yardage: Par 72 / 7,425 yards
• Hole breakdown:
  • 4x par 3s (207-221 yards)
  • 10x par 4s (355-492 yards)
  • 4x par 5s (548-585 yards)
• Course style: Flat, open and well-maintained wetland course home to over 100 bunkers, from expansive sandy hazards to those trademark Pete Dye pot bunkers
• Fairways:
  • Loosely tree-lined fairways are generous
  • Although there is a lack of punishing rough, that abundance of sand often hugs the landing areas
• Greens:
  • Small (5,225 sq. ft.) bermudagrass greens overseeded with poa trivialis
  • Surrounded by run-offs leading into tightly-mown chipping areas
  • Bunkers are regularly positioned far short of the green, leaving players with shots from awkward lengths
• Defences: Water is in play on eight holes and it can get windy, though this event warrants a generally non-penal, scoreable test

Providing a fun, risk/reward challenge with scoring chances throughout, TPC Louisiana is perfectly suited to this quirky format. Each of the par 5s are reachable in two, the par-4 16^th will be made drivable over the course of the week, and unless the weather changes the complexion of the contest, aggressive play will again be rewarded in New Orleans.

THE WEATHER

It's forecast to be a warm and humid week in Louisiana, carrying the threat of thunderstorms from Friday onwards. Wind speeds of 9-11mph shouldn't cause too many problems and with the likelihood of a softened layout for most of the week, birdies should flow freely.

KEY STATS

SG: Approach / Greens-in-Regulation (GIR)

Due to its small greens, it's no surprise that winning teams in this birdie-fest tend to arrive off the back of strong approach form.

This was an area in which Ben Griffin excelled last year, ranking 22^nd in SG: Approach, and having produced three consecutive positive strokes-gained performances, including ranking 4^th at the Houston Open two starts earlier. His teammate Andrew Novak had also been dialled in, ranking 9^th and 14^th on his two most recent outings.

• 2024: Shane Lowry was the third-best iron player on the PGA Tour at the time of his victory alongside Rory McIlroy, who had also been striking it well
• 2023: The winning duo of Davis Riley and Nick Hardy had both shown quality with their irons in the build-up, ranking 40^th and 61^st on tour, respectively.
• 2022: A similar story unfolded for Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, ranked 7^th and 38^th in SG: Approach.
• 2021: Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman each arrived for the tournament after top-20 approach displays at The Masters.

SG: Putting (poa trivialis overseed)

Birdie-or-Better %

The majority of these recent winning partnerships were also solid on the greens. Therefore, a proven ability in putting on similar overseeded greens – which we've already seen at the RBC Heritage, Texas Open, Houston Open, Phoenix Open, Valspar Championship, and THE PLAYERS Championship this year – is another plus.

In addition, with the low-scoring nature of the event, it's an obvious advantage to have heavy birdie makers on the same team.

CORRELATING EVENTS

The vibe surrounding this event is entirely different to that which we see for most regular tournaments. With that, I'm not sure we can gain much by doing a deep dive on correlating form.

That said, Pete Dye is a course designer with a distinct style, and it can only be a positive if players have enjoyed success across his other layouts. We're fortunate enough to have seen several in action already this year: the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town, THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, and The AmEx, where 36 holes are played at the Dye Stadium Course. Furthermore, regular stop TPC River Highlands will host the Travelers Championship later in the year.

I also quite like the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson as a comp here. Located in neighbouring Mississippi, it's another flat, non-penal venue of a similar length where we typically witness low scoring.

THE FIELD

Ben Griffin & Andrew Novak are back to defend their title and are joined by just one further former winning team, 2023 champions Davis Riley & Nick Hardy.

Four other past winners under this format are also in the field, albeit with different partners. Shane Lowry (2024, with Rory McIlroy) tees it up alongside Brooks Koepka, while Ryan Palmer (2019, with Jon Rahm) partners Chan Kim. Elsewhere, the 2018 winning duo of Billy Horschel & Scott Piercy both return, with Horschel joining forces with Tom Hoge and Piercy lining up alongside Taylor Montgomery.

Matt Fitzpatrick once again tees it up with in-form sibling Alex (who recently won his first DP World Tour title in India) after his impressive victory last week. Fellow English pairing Marco Penge & Matt Wallace could be one to watch after recent performances, while the all-Dane duo of Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen & Jacob Skov Olesen make their debuts in the event.

SELECTIONS 

Market leaders: Matt Fitzpatrick & Alex Fitzpatrick 12/1, Brooks Koepka & Shane Lowry 14/1, Sudarshan Yellamaraju & Ryan Gerard 16/1, Andrew Novak & Ben Griffin 18/1, Michael Thorbjornsen & Karl Vilips 18/1

1.25 pts Sam Stevens & Zach Bauchou each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 35/1

Former Oklahoma State teammates Sam Stevens and Zach Bauchou are one of the most in-form pairs in action at TPC Louisiana. Although Bauchou is making his first start here, Stevens has twice finished inside the top 25 with different partners, and that experience could prove invaluable this week.

Stevens has steadily improved since joining the PGA Tour but has taken his game to another level this year. He's missed just one cut in 11 appearances, recording top-10s at The AmEx and Houston Open, whilst he also finished 24^th on his Masters debut two weeks ago.

The driver remains a major asset, ranking 10^th in this field in SG: Off-the-Tee (SG: OTT). However, an improved level of iron play has contributed most to this level of form, ranking 8^th in SG: Approach. With the putter now behaving and ranking inside the top 30 in birdie-or-better %, he's primed for a big week in New Orleans.

Rookie Bauchou has himself missed only two cuts in 10 starts this year, picking up top-25s at The AmEx, Puerto Rico Open and Cognizant Classic. He ranks inside the top 50 in SG: Approach and SG: Putting, and as a solid birdie-maker, these two powerful players match up well.

Stevens' standout result came in 2024, when he finished 4^th alongside Paul Barjon. Returning in the best shape of his career and with a new, more in-form partner in tow, himself and Bauchou have every chance of earning a breakthrough PGA Tour win this week.

1.25 pts Austin Smotherman & Andrew Putnam each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 40/1

With both thriving in approach, I expect Austin Smotherman and Andrew Putnam to be a potent combination. They’ve enjoyed little success between them in this event, but with some promising Dye form on offer, they look well placed to produce best-ever performances in Louisiana.

We don’t have to look far for that Dye form, as they each shone at the Stadium Course when recording top-10s at The AmEx – Putnam finishing 2^nd and Smotherman 8^th – earlier this year.

Smotherman went even better than that three starts later, leading through three rounds of the Cognizant Classic before eventually finishing 2^nd. Meanwhile, he has since added another encouraging piece of form on a Dye design, placing 13^th at TPC Sawgrass in THE PLAYERS Championship.

Putnam arrives after six cuts made on the spin, including a 5^th-place finish at the Texas Open. He’s really begun to shine in approach on those latest starts and ranks 15^th in this field in 2026, but that is bettered by his teammate, who ranks 7^th.

Possessing bests of 18^th (Putnam, 2018) and 23^rd (Smotherman, 2024) at TPC Louisiana, they’re in position to significantly enhance their records this week.

1 pt Billy Horschel & Tom Hoge each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 70/1

Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge are both displaying positives within their respective games without it quite reflecting in the results. They would make for a particularly classy pairing should it all come together this week and, with Horschel a former two-time winner at TPC Louisiana and Hoge owning some striking Dye form, it may just do so.

I put Horschel up at Harbour Town last week and while he finished all the way down in 80^th, he drove it solidly throughout. He also found something with his irons over the weekend, ultimately failing to climb the leaderboard due to his short game – an area in which he’d looked relatively sharp this season. Having gained strokes in three of his last four starts in approach, his game doesn’t look all that far away.

Hoge made a decent start to this season, finishing 8^th at The AmEx and 14^th at Pebble Beach. He’s struggled since, but his iron play remains an asset – ranking 29^th in this field in SG: Approach – and barring one round, he appeared to be more comfortable on the greens last week.

Having first tasted victory here as an individual in 2013, Horschel has continued to thrive at TPC Louisiana in the team contest, winning with Scott Piercy in 2018 and finishing 2^nd alongside Sam Burns in 2022.

Hoge has a decent record himself, placing 10^th in 2018 (with J.J. Henry) and 13^th in 2023 (with Harris English). Add in a runner-up finish at The AmEx, two 3^rd-place finishes at THE PLAYERS Championship, and another 3^rd at the Travelers Championship, his Dye form stacks up well against most in this field.

0.75 pts Danny Walker & Jimmy Stanger each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 110/1

Having played together as juniors, roomed together at the University of Virginia and lived together after turning pro, few teams are as closely-knit as the all-Florida duo of Danny Walker and Jimmy Stanger. They’re both heavy scorers with power, and if Walker’s upturn in form with the irons can blend with Stanger’s strength on the greens, they could spring a surprise.

After missing his first two cuts of the season, Walker has missed just one more across his last eight appearances, going best when 18^th at the Valspar Championship. It’s been a similar story for Stanger, who has made four of his last five cuts and also performed well at the Valspar, finishing 30^th. This was the end of a strong sequence of results, as he finished 32^nd at the Cognizant Classic and 26^th at the Puerto Rico Open on his two prior starts.

With Stanger ranking 10^th in this field in driving distance and Walker 43^rd, they pack a serious punch off the tee. Stanger has been in better control of it and has also putted well, ranking 14^th on the greens, which has helped him sit inside the top 50 in birdie-or-better %. Walker, meanwhile, is inside the top 40 in SG: Approach over the last two months, has shown some improvement with the putter, and is a solid 63^rd in birdie-or-better %.

Walker took to this event immediately in 2025, finishing 12^th alongside Ryan Gerard. He’s also finished 3^rd at the Sanderson Farms Championship, 6^th at THE PLAYERS Championship, and with Stanger’s only experience a missed cut in the 2024 edition, he can be the driving force in what looks a potentially dangerous pairing.