For the first time ever, DraftKings is offering DFS contests for the team-formatted Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Since 2017, this PGA TOUR stop has consisted of 80 teams of two competing at TPC Louisiana (par 72, 7,425 yards). For the first and third rounds, the pairs of players will play best ball together, and then for the second and final rounds, it will be standard stroke scoring, but the players of each team will alternate shots and finish with one score collectively.
Following the first two rounds, a top-35 and ties cut will take place. For DFS, you can only roster one player from each team, and those two players will accrue the same amount of DKFP based on how their team performs under the usual DraftKings scoring system, hence why teammates are the same price this week. This tournament was one of the unfortunate cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year, so there has only been three editions of the Zurich Classic since it converted to the team format. From 2017 to 2019, the winning teams have been Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt (-27), Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy (-22) and Ryan Palmer and Jon Rahm (-26).
For the second consecutive week, the PGA TOUR will be hosting an event at a course designed by the late Pete Dye. TPC Louisiana is your prototypical Dye creation, with small Bermuda greens and a collection of tricky par fours. As usual at tracks designed by the famous architect, distance isn’t needed and your iron play is far more crucial than your results off the tee. At the five standard stroke play Zurich Classics before the transition in 2017, we saw four of the five winners of this event finish inside the top-20 in SG APP and all five T8 or better in SGT2G. Additionally, these champs dominated on the par fours at TPC Louisiana, all finishing inside the top-four SG on the par fours during their victories.
Eight of the top-20 ranked players in the world are teeing it up for this year’s Zurich Classic, and just like a regular week of DFS golf, our top priority is getting our entire lineup through the cut. Still, given this tournament’s structure, we need to be prepared for a volatile week, and below I give you some of my favorite cheap values on DraftKings for the Zurich Classic.
Get a free DraftKings contest ticket with your first deposit! Claim the offer at the DraftKings Playbook Promo page!
Refer a friend and get $20 DK Dollars! Head to the DraftKings Playbook Promo page for more details!
Chase Seiffert/Matthew NeSmith, $7,500
Neither of these players have competed at TPC Louisiana before, but the two young promising talents bring great upside in their current forms. NeSmith has made three straight cuts, and Seiffert has been playing on the weekend at eight of his past ten events. Both of these players advanced through the cut at the RBC Heritage last weekend, and NeSmith had an excellent showing as a ball striker, ranking 14th in SG APP, which marked the eighth time in his past nine starts that the 27-year-old has positively gained strokes with his irons.
Overall, NeSmith ranks 7th in GIR over his last 12 rounds, and during this time, Seiffert ranks 14th in SG on par fours. Mix these two golfers’ skill sets together and they have all the tools to succeed at TPC Louisiana, and I doubt the NeSmith and Seiffert combo will carry much ownership in GPPs.
Martin Laird/Nick Taylor, $7,300
At the last Zurich Classic in 2019, Laird and Taylor finished T9th in their first attempt together as a team. The year prior, Laird was paired with Russell Knox, and the duo carded a T9 at TPC Louisiana. As for Taylor, 2019 was the only time he has competed at this Dye venue with a partner, but he was 2/2 at the track before the event altered its setup. All in all, both Laird and Taylor have been successful at this par 72, and another quality finish is certainly possible for the twosome, especially with Laird in solid form.
Fresh off a T38 at the Masters, the Scottish pro has been playing on the weekend in his last four individual starts.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $600K Resurgence [$200K to 1st]
Seamus Power/David Hearn, $6,700
Editor’s note: Seamus Power has withdrawn from the Zurich Classic of New Orleans after testing positive for COVID-19. Zack Sucher will now partner with David Hearn.
Power and Hearn are simply too cheap for their histories as a unit at the Zurich Classic. This will be the third time they have joined forces for this tournament, finishing T10 in 2018 and then following this up with a T5 in 2019. Hearn also posted a T22 with Graham Delaet in 2017, and owns a spotless 7/7 record at TPC Louisiana with four top-25s in his individual starts at the course.
Kelly Kraft/Kevin Tway, $6,500
Tway and Kraft have competed together at every Zurich Classic since team play was implemented at the event. The pair finished T13 in 2019, missed the cut in 2018 and posted a 3rd place in 2017. Tway and Kraft clearly have a knack for attacking TPC Louisiana together, and it also helps that both are coming off made cuts in their last standard stroke play starts.
While neither are exciting individual players, taking our chances on Tway and Kraft as a team has a ton of logic, especially given the uncertainty of this tournament.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $600K Resurgence [$200K to 1st]
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
For sports betting, head over to DraftKings Sportsbook or download the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA/MI), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (NH/CO), 1-800-BETS OFF(IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA) or call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN).
21+ (18+ NH). CO/IL/IN/IA/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/MI only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.