2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans betting tips: Our expert’s top picks in Louisiana

2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans betting tips from Today's Golfer.

Tom Jacobs picks out his top Zurich Classic of New Orleans betting tips ahead of the PGA Tour’s unique team event.

The 2025 PGA Tour season takes a welcome break from its alternating regular and Signature event strokeplay schedule with four days of paired competition.

All eyes will inevitably be drawn toward golf’s new Grand Slam club member, returning to defend alongside Shane Lowry at TPC Louisiana. The pair from the island of Ireland prevailed in a playoff over Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer in their Zurich Classic debut last year.

Some other pairings of note this year include Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala, Thomas Detry and Robert MacIntyre, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Victor Perez and Matthieu Pavon, and Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor. There will be three pairs of siblings competing in Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard, Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, and Jeremy and Yannik Paul.

Before diving into my betting tips for the week, here’s everything else you need to know…

• Scottie Scheffler responds to accusations of ‘awkward’ Rory McIlroy encounter at the Masters

Zurich Classic of New Orleans key details

Venue: TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana (Par 72 – 7,442 yards)

Format: Thursday and Saturday take on a four-ball ‘better ball’ format, while Friday and Sunday’s rounds are played in the alternate shot ‘foursomes’ format.

Purse: $9.2m, with the winners each receiving an estimated $1.3m

FedEx Cup points: 400

Favorites: Lowry & McIlroy 7/2

Defending champion: Shane Lowry (IRE) and Rory McIlroy (NIR), -25 (playoff)

Most wins: Marc Leishman and Cam Smith (AUS), 2

• Golf World Top 100 Courses in the USA

• Golfers, sports stars, and celebrities rush to heap praise on Rory McIlroy

How to watch the Zurich Classic of New Orleans

US viewers can catch all the action on the Golf Channel.

All times EDT

Thursday, April 24: The Golf Channel, 15.00
Friday, April 25: The Golf Channel, 15.00
Saturday, April 26: The Golf Channel, 13.00
Sunday, April 27: The Golf Channel, 13.00

UK viewers can catch all the action on Sky Sports Golf.

All times BST

Thursday, April 24: Sky Sports Golf, 12.30
Friday, April 25: Sky Sports Golf, 13.45
Saturday, April 26: Sky Sports Golf, 14.00
Sunday, April 27: Sky Sports Golf, 15.30

Zurich Classic of New Orleans tee times

Tee times and groupings can be found here.

• Rory McIlroy reveals 10 words his caddie said to inspire Masters glory

Zurich Classic of New Orleans betting tips

The Banker: Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge 25/1 e/w (Sky Bet 6 Places)

Billy Horschel has won this event twice, once as an individual and then again when partnered up with Scott Piercy, once it became a team event. He has also finished runner-up since, teaming up with Sam Burns, and he’s now in a great partnership again.

This year, he’s paired up with Tom Hoge, who’s actually the A side in this partnership right now. Hoge has finished 18^th or better in four straight events, with three top 5s, including at the Players. His 14th at the Masters was a career-best in that event and his second-best major effort as well, so he’s truly in form.

Horschel has found some form of his own as well, with a 4^th place finish at the Valspar and a 27^th place finish at last week’s Heritage. Now, he can use his experience at this course and this event, and couple it with Hoge’s impressive iron play to win again here for a third time.

We know Horschel can come up clutch on the greens, and that might be what leads Hoge to his best finish in this event as well.

The Each Way Play: Ryan Fox and Garrick Higgo 28/1 e/w (Sky Bet 6 Places)

Normally, Ryan Fox would be the star of this pairing, but right now, Garrick Higgo is on fire, having won last week at the Corales, following a 12^th at the Puerto Rico Open, and a 3rd-place finish back on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Having secured PGA Tour playing rights for another two years with his win yesterday, this is now a free hit for Higgo, who has played here twice, once with Branden Grace and then last year with Fox, finishing 4^th both times.

This is the first time Higgo comes into this event with any form, having missed the cut at the Corales the week before on his first two visits to the Zurich Classic, and while Fox isn’t at his very best, there have been signs of late.

After starting his year with a 10^th place finish at the Dubai Desert Classic, Fox struggled for a bit back on the PGA Tour, but just recently he’s finished T20 at the Players, and T15 at the Houston Open. He grew into the week at Sawgrass, but in Houston he was actually 3^rd going into the final round, and just fell away with an over-par round on Sunday.

Both players can send it off the tee and go extremely low on their day and with Higgo full of confidence and now relieved of the pressure of chasing a PGA Tour card, he can lead these two to an even better finish than last year.

The Outsider: Rico Hoey and Sam Ryder 45/1 e/w (Sky Bet 6 Places)

Sam Ryder hasn’t been able to string four rounds together too often this season, but he ranks 3^rd in SG Putting this season, and when you couple that with Rico Hoey, who ranks 6^th in SG Tee to Green, and like Ryder is the type that can get incredibly streaking and go low, you could have a great team.

Hoey missed the cut when partnered with Justin Suh last year, but Ryder also has experience of finishing 3^rd in this event with Doc Redman, and his partner might be better this time around.

Despite not posting a top 10 yet this season, Ryder is 10/10 for made cuts and has two top-16 finishes in his past four starts, so has been a reliable performer. On top of that, he led after round 1 last time out, opening with a 63, and that was the fourth time in five starts where he sat inside the top 8 after round 1. This highlights his scoring prowess, which is no doubt down to that incredible putting.

Hoey, on the other hand, has missed five cuts in 2025, but has 11th and 12th place finishes among his past three starts, finding form at the right time. He also ranks 1st in Total Driving this season, and that might be the difference between Ryder being a consistent player and actually contending as Hoey’s partner this week.

Also considered: Jesper Svensson/Niklas Norgaard (33/1), Ryan Gerard/Danny Walker (55/1), Jeremy Paul/Yannik Paul (66/1)