The Zurich Classic is one of the more interesting events on Tour with teams of two playing foursomes and four balls.
Best Bet
Shane Lowry/Ian Poulter ($21)
Form on Pete Dye courses is the key guide here and no team goes better on his famed designs than European Ryder Cup icon Ian Poulter and 2019 Open Championship winner Shane Lowry. Both rank Top 26 on the entire PGA Tour in strokes gained on his courses.
A strong approach game and putting on Bermuda greens is also so important. Lowry ranks 6th in Strokes Gained: Approach this season while Poulter ranks Top 25 on Tour in putting on Bermuda greens.
With Lowry in hot form – he should have won the RBC Heritage last week – and internationals having a stellar record filling seven of the last eight 1st and 2nd placings, this is a very good play.
Mid-Tier Bet
Davis Riley/Will Zalatoris ($34)
Two of the hottest young prospects on Tour, Davis Riley and Will Zalatoris can add a little security to their futures with a strong showing this week.
Riley marked his ascent with a playoff loss in the Valspar while Zalatoris now has back-to-back Top 12 finishes at Augusta.
Zalatoris is an exceptional iron player who ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach.
Roughie
Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson ($71)
Neither Rose or Stenson have tasted a lot of success on the PGA Tour in recent years but offer a blowout hope this week.
Rose, in particular, has a strong record on Pete Dye courses ranking 18th in strokes gained on his designs.
Rose has three Top 12s on the PGA Tour since November and Stenson had a T-20 in the Valero Texas Open.
Prop
Round 1 Leader – Jason Day/Jason Scrivener ($61)
No player has a better record in opening rounds on Pete Dye courses than Jason Day. Jason Scrivener also ranks Top 50 in the field. These guys look plenty of value to be at the top of the leaderboard after Day 1.
