Zurich Classic: Latest betting odds, favorites and sleeper picks for TPC Louisiana

Two-man team golf is on tap this week, which brings its own handicapping challenges.

In a frantic and entertaining final round at the RBC Heritage, it was the most frantic and entertaining player that came out on top.

Many of the game’s elite players shared the lead throughout the day including Erik van Rooyen, Shane Lowry and even FedEx Cup winner Patrick Cantlay. However, it was the maddening yet relatable Jordan Spieth who hung around all day and ultimately ended up in a playoff with the aforementioned Cantlay by posting a score of 13-under well before many contenders finished. Spieth used a trademark clutch bunker shot on the fourth playoff hole to win on Easter Sunday yet again.

As for the picks, favorite Collin Morikawa improved each round on the week, but still ended up two strokes off the top 20. Midrange Webb Simpson uncharacteristically barely made the cut and did not impress at one of his “home courses” on Tour. Sleeper Kevin Streelman also could not build on his recent good form and missed the cut.

This week the PGA Tour stays in the south, visiting New Orleans for the Zurich Classic. Players will take on the par-72, 7,425-yard TPC Louisiana, designed by Pete Dye, in a team format.

Players will play four-ball (best ball) in the first and third rounds and foursomes (alternate shot) in the second and fourth rounds. In other words, look for low scores on Thursday and Saturday and efforts more around par or a couple under on Friday and Sunday.

From a handicapping standpoint, the Zurich is a unique challenge. You'll want to back players coming in on form, but don't discount a good team dynamic.

According to SI Sportsbook, Viktor Hovland and Collin Morikawa are the favored team at +700. Xander Schauffele and Cantlay, coming in off that RBC Heritage runner-up, are next at +800. Defending Zurich Classic champions Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith are +900.

For our favorite, we'll back the Aussie duo of Leishman and Smith to go back-to-back in The Big Easy at the +900 return. Smith, of course, has enjoyed a fantastic spring with a Players Championship win and a T3 at the Masters. He missed the cut at the RBC Heritage but we look at having that weekend off as a benefit. Leishman is also rested, having skipped Harbour Town, and is a steady presence. It's easy to see why they would play well together. Smith was also a winner here in 2017, with partner Jonas Blixt.

For our midrange pick, we're liking the team of Talor Gooch and Max Homa at +2200. It's fun to ride with a best-friend team, as these two are, plus they're both on form. Homa won the season-opening Fortinet Championship in California and has been a top 20 machine for much of the season. Gooch also has a win to his credit this season, at the RSM Classic, and comes in off a T14 at the Masters.

For our sleeper, we're going to ride the longshot duo of Scott Brown and Kevin Kisner at +8000. They have been partners every year in New Orleans, finishing runner-up in 2017, 15th in 2018 and fifth in 2019. The long odds are more of a reflection on Brown, who has just six starts on the season with three missed cuts and a high finish of T28 at the Corales Puntacana Championship. Kisner is still a force, with a fourth at the Players Championship and a runner-up to Scottie Scheffler at the Dell Match Play. Whenever it's match play or team play, we'll put some chips behind him. 

2021-22 picks scoreboard:

Events: 23
Winners: 2
Top 5s: 6
Top 10s: 3
Top 20s: 1

Here are some notable odds, according to SI Sportsbook:

V. Hovland/C. Morikawa +700
P. Cantlay/X. Schauffele +800
M. Leishman/C. Smith +900
R. Palmer/S. Scheffler +1000
S. Burns/B. Horschel +1100
T. Fleetwood/S. Garcia +1600
S. Lowry/I. Poulter +1800
J. Niemann/M. Pereira +2200
T. Gooch/M. Homa +2200
H. Varner III/B. Watson +2500
B.H. An/S-J. Im +3300
D. Riley/W. Zalatoris +3300
K. Bradley/B. Steele +3300
P. Kizzire/J.T. Poston +3300
T. Hatton/D. Willett +3300
A. Hadwin/A. Svensson +4000
C. Kirk/B. Todd +4000
G. McDowell/S. Power +4000
J. Bramlett/M. McNealy +4000
M. Laird/R. MacIntyre +4500
G. Sigg/S. Straka +5000
C. Bezuidenhout/C. Schwartzel +5500
K. Mitchell/B. Snedeker +5500
T. Merritt/R. Streb +5500
J. Rose/H. Stenson +6000
W. Clark/C. Tringale +6000
D. Ghim/M. Schwab +6600
R. Knox/B. Stuard +7000
A. Noren/H. Norlander +8000
B. Hossler/S. Theegala +8000
J. Day/J. Scrivener +8000
S. Brown/K. Kisner +8000
T. Moore/M. NeSmith +9000
L. Glover/C. Reavie +10000
R. Cabrera Bello/E. Grillo +10000