The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is unlike any other event on the PGA Tour. While the rest of the schedule pits 156 individuals against each other, the Zurich Classic sends 80 two-man teams out to TPC Louisiana in Avondale for four rounds of partner-based competition. It is the only team event on the PGA Tour calendar, and in 2026 it takes place from April 24 to 27.
What Is the Zurich Classic?
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a PGA Tour event held annually at TPC Louisiana, a Pete Dye-designed course in Avondale, approximately 20 miles west of New Orleans. The tournament has been played in its current team format since 2017, when the PGA Tour overhauled the event to create a unique competitive structure that has since become one of the most popular and distinctive weeks on the schedule.
The format works as follows. In Rounds 1 and 3, teams play alternate shot, also known as foursomes. Both players tee off, select the best drive, and then take turns hitting alternate shots until the ball is holed. In Rounds 2 and 4, teams play best ball, also known as fourball. Both players play their own ball throughout, and the team scores the lower of the two individual scores on each hole.
The contrast between the two formats across four rounds creates a dynamic and often unpredictable week. Alternate shot demands precise partnership and a willingness to play from each other’s positions without complaint. Best ball rewards each player’s ability to go low when the opportunity presents itself. Teams that excel in both formats are the ones who tend to lift the trophy on Sunday.
The 2026 prize purse reflects the growing prestige of the event, with significant winning cheques available and world ranking points on offer for top finishers. TPC Louisiana, with its generous fairways, risk-reward par fives, and challenging greenside hazards, typically produces scoring in the low twenties under par for the winning team over 72 holes.
2026 Field Highlights
The Zurich Classic field in 2026 features 80 teams of two, drawn from the PGA Tour membership. The tournament has a tradition of attracting strong pairings, with many players choosing their best friend, college teammate, or longtime training partner as their partner for the week.
One of the most appealing aspects of the Zurich Classic is seeing which players team up. Over the years, the event has produced memorable pairings including brothers, college roommates, and close Tour friends who rarely get to compete on the same side rather than against each other. The atmosphere in the team room and on the range during Zurich Classic week is noticeably different from the rest of the PGA Tour season.
The event has grown in stature since its team format was introduced, drawing stronger fields each year. Top-ranked players who skip the Zurich Classic are typically those chasing FedEx Cup points in other events or recovering ahead of the PGA Championship, which follows in May. Those who do enter tend to embrace the relaxed team atmosphere while still competing with full intensity.
Given the proximity to the PGA Championship 2026 at Quail Hollow (May 15-18), some players will use the Zurich Classic as a form hit-out and confidence builder before heading to Charlotte. Others will choose to rest ahead of the year’s second major.
Key Teams to Watch in 2026
In team events, chemistry is as important as individual skill. The pairings that tend to succeed at the Zurich Classic are those with genuine off-course relationships, where the communication under pressure of alternate shot feels natural rather than forced.
Teams built around two high-ranked players with compatible games, particularly those who complement each other in terms of driving length and accuracy versus short game precision, historically perform well. Best ball rounds often come down to which team can produce the lowest individual score on the par fives, where one birdie or eagle from either player takes the hole.
Past winners of the Zurich Classic include some of the Tour’s most celebrated partnerships. The event has a habit of producing repeat winners, as teams who understand each other’s tendencies and have experienced the unique pressures of alternate shot tend to return and perform better each year.
Each-way interest at the Zurich Classic is best placed on mid-ranked teams with genuine friendship chemistry rather than on star pairings who may lack the same depth of partnership. The format rewards trust as much as talent.
How to Watch Zurich Classic 2026
The 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans will be broadcast live across multiple platforms in the United States and internationally.
- Golf Channel: Live coverage throughout all four rounds, including early morning and afternoon windows.
- Peacock: Streaming coverage available for subscribers, including featured group coverage and on-demand replays.
- CBS: Weekend broadcast coverage for Rounds 3 and 4, bringing the Zurich Classic to the widest possible television audience.
Live scoring and shot-tracking data is available at pgatour.com, where fans can follow individual holes in real time, check team leaderboards, and access historical scoring data from previous Zurich Classic events.
For international viewers, coverage varies by region. Check your local sports broadcaster for details on how to access live Zurich Classic 2026 coverage in your country.
TPC Louisiana: Course Overview
TPC Louisiana opened in 2004 and was designed by Pete Dye, the legendary architect responsible for some of the most challenging courses in American golf, including TPC Sawgrass and Whistling Straits. The course plays to approximately 7,425 yards from the back tees and is a par 72.
The layout sits on the west bank of the Mississippi River and features wide, generous fairways that allow attacking play off the tee. The challenge comes from the large, undulating greens and the numerous water hazards that come into play throughout the round. The par fives are scoreable and become central battlegrounds in best-ball rounds, where teams try to manufacture birdie and eagle opportunities.
Scoring at the Zurich Classic tends to run low, particularly in best-ball rounds, where teams regularly reach 15 to 20 under par for a single round. The winning team typically finishes between 25 and 35 under par for the tournament, depending on conditions.
Context: The Bigger Picture
The 2026 Zurich Classic arrives in the wake of one of the most dramatic weeks in recent golf history. Rory McIlroy won the 2026 Masters at Augusta National on April 13, completing back-to-back green jacket victories and setting up a potential Calendar Grand Slam chase across the rest of the major season. While McIlroy is unlikely to compete at the Zurich Classic given his rest needs ahead of the PGA Championship, his Masters triumph sets the narrative backdrop for every tournament between now and July.
The Zurich Classic sits in a sweet spot on the calendar: far enough from the Masters to allow players to reset mentally, but close enough to the PGA Championship that it offers top players a meaningful competitive hit-out before Charlotte. For teams willing to commit to the unique format, it offers world ranking points, prize money, and a week of golf that feels genuinely different from anything else the Tour offers.
