The most unique golf daily fantasy week of the year has arrived, with players going off in pairs at the only team-format event on the schedule for the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. 

What began as an attempt to mix things up and draw stronger fields to TPC Louisiana has done just that – this is now a regular stop for several prominent A-listers and golf betting favorites. It’s also an opportunity for sibling pairings with massive potential payoff – a win counts as an official Tour victory and grants status to both players. 

That leads to fun scenarios like RBC Heritage winner Matt Fitzpatrick teaming up with younger brother and European Tour member Alex Fitzpatrick, with a potential life-changing week for Alex in play. It also leads to some classic old-guy pairings, with David Duval and John Daly teaming up this week in the Bayou. 

From a betting and fantasy perspective, it’s a different type of challenge. Normal week-to-week models go out the window, and we need to consider players’ chemistry together, how their games will complement one another, how they’ll adapt to best ball and alternate shot as opposed to stroke play, etc. 

This event has been a launching pad in the past. Cameron Smith picked up the first of his six Tour victories here alongside Jonas Blixt in 2017, the first year it switched to a team format, and won it again in 2021 with Marc Leishman. 

The U.S. Ryder Cup duo of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are the defending champs, looking to become the first team to ever win this event for a second time. But the field is loaded yet again and things always seem to play out in unpredictable fashion with the team aspect. 

2023 Zurich Classic Details

Course Location: Avondale, Louisiana

Course: TPC Louisiana: 7,425 yards, Par 72. Greens: Bermuda

Past Winners

• 2022 – Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele, 259 (-29)
• 2021 – Marc Leishman/Cameron Smith, 268 (-20)
• 2020 – Cancelled
• 2019 – Ryan Palmer/Jon Rahm, 262 (-26)
• 2018 – Billy Horschel/Scott Piercy, 266 (-22)
• 2017 – Jonas Blixt/Camron Smith, 261 (-27)

2023 Zurich Classic DFS Picks By Price

11K-9K Range Zurich Classic

Patrick Cantlay/Xander Schauffele, $11,100: If this were any other tournament, we’d be concerned about fatigue – especially for Cantlay, who has seriously contended in each of the last two weeks at the Masters and RBC Heritage. But this is a totally different deal than 72-hole individual stroke play. Cantlay and Schauffele have been getting it done together at the Ryder and President Cups for years, and they tore it up to win this thing last year. Both guys are in top form and there’s no reason to think they won’t finish near the top. Experience and chemistry have proved too important here over the years.

Sungjae Im/Keith Mitchell, $10,400: We could not be more in on this pairing. Mitchell reportedly tried to make it happen four years ago and was turned down as Im already committed to a different teammate. Now they’re actually getting the band together. Language barrier aside, these two's games couldn’t be more complementary. Mitchell pounds it off the tee but isn’t a short game wizard. Im keeps it in play off the tee and does tremendous work with the wedges. We can’t wait to see it play out and will definitely pay up for this dynamic duo. 

9K-8K Range Zurich Classic

Taylor Moore/Matthew NeSmith, $8,700: These two players haven’t exactly been setting the world on fire lately, but again this is a completely different type of week. NeSmith is really struggling having missed the cut in four of his last five starts, but weeks like this can provide a boost – especially considering this pairing finished T-4 last year at the Zurich. Moore is one of the best putters on Tour and that takes a lot of pressure off NeSmith around the greens, where he’s been having a tough go lately. One of those situations where the whole is better than the sum of the parts. 

Joseph Bramlett/Brandon Wu, $8,000: Bramlett found some solid form earlier this year with a T-13 at the Farmers Insurance Open and T-7 at Pebble Beach. And he’s found himself a solid Zurich partner in the 26-year-old Wu. Again, these games should be a perfect fit in a team format. Wu keeps it in play and he’s a consistent all-around player. Bramlett hits it a mile off the tee and has a strong iron game. This should be a fun pairing to keep an eye on. 

8K-7K Range Zurich Classic

Doug Ghim/Kramer Hickok, $7,500: Ghim is on his third partner in three years, but he’s had success here before. The 27-year-old finished T-32 last year with Matthias Schwab, and he was T-11 alongside Justin Suh in 2021. He’s been playing better after a rough fall, making the cut in three of his last four starts and logging a T-16 at the Corales Puntacana Championship. Hickok hasn’t been terribly far off either, making six of the last seven cuts with a T-14 at the Honda Classic. They both keep it in play off the tee and should be equally comfortable in best ball and alternate shot.

Ryan Brehm/Mark Hubbard, $7,200: We love it when a couple of less-accomplished journeymen have a great week at the Zurich, and Brehm and Hubbard can definitely be those guys. Brehm’s recent form has been pretty far off, but that was also the case last year when these two finished T-14 at the Zurich. It works because Brehm can pipe it off the tee and Hubbard has an above-average short game – another case of players suited to mask each other’s weaknesses to form a competitive team. Hubbard is also coming off a T-11 last week at the RBC Heritage. We like this squad at this price. 

7K and Below Zurich Classic

Michael Kim/Seung-Yul Noh, $6,800: It’s surprising to see this duo so far down the board. They missed the cut on the number last year in their first go-round, and surely learned a few things to help them in 2023. Kim is playing well having made four consecutive cuts, including a solo fifth in Puerto Rico. He was also T-11 at Pebble Beach. Noh has been off for nearly a month and Kim hasn’t played since the first week of April, so they’ll be very well-rested compared to some of their peers who’re coming off the Masters and RBC Heritage. Kim and Noh are definitely worth a shot.

Tano Goya/Trevor Werbylo, $6,700: Our favorite pairing of two guys casual fans have never heard of. Werbylo hasn’t contended at all, but he has made eight consecutive cuts and seems to be hitting it better off the tee. Goya logged a T-11 last month at the Puerto Rico Open, and he’s very good around the greens. Don’t be surprised if these two make the weekend and find a nice groove.

2023 Zurich Classic, Date & TV

When: Thursday-Sunday, April 20-23

Where: TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana

TV: Golf Channel, CBS