We found the winner last year, let’s see if we can keep the streak going! If we don’t however, we get a pass due to the team event aspect. The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is more of a fun event than the typical competitive events we’ve had of late. While competition obviously is still happening, this is a unique event that should give us a more fun style of professional golf. 

Let’s dive in!

 

Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2025: Daily Fantasy Golf Picks & Projections

As a team event, we take a different approach to DFS than normal, much like the pro’s take a different approach to this event as well. During this team event, the 1st and 3rd rounds are best-ball, which is where the lowest score from the team is counted as the team score for the hole. The 2nd and final rounds of the event, alternate shot will be used and the team’s score on the hole will be what is counted. 

For DFS purposes, this event is currently only supported by certain venues, so this week we will focus on DraftKings. Their rules specify that you cannot draft both players from a team, and that each golfer in a pairing receives the same score and statistics for the event. As a result, when doing the player breakdowns, we must focus more heavily on the overall team skill as opposed to individual players.

 

 

TPC Louisiana: Course Breakdown This Week

TPC Louisiana is yet another Pete Dye design, much like what we got last week at Harbour Town. Unlike Harbour Town, this is a 7,400 yard course, which often plays much softer and slower than typical Pete Dye designs. This venue also plays much more friendly to the players, and is a very flat, and bluntly boring design.

While there are many historical indicators here, most of them end up being largely irrelevant as the team format completely changes how the game is played. What we do know for a fact is that we end up getting a lot of drivers and long irons, and that it’s an easy overall event that is more meant for fun than anything else.

That being said, TPC Louisiana favors driving distance more than the usual tournament, while putting is yet again a near non-factor. Additionally, the approach side of things is far less important as well, given you get multiple shots per team, making it hard to truly gain strokes with the irons. As a result, I'm focusing more heavily on teams that have complimentary skill sets. For example, if a team has a guy who hits it a mile and is good with the flat-stick, and his teammate is more of an iron and wedge player, that team will get a bump compared to others. To attempt to get an idea of what this player may look like on this venue, we're going to look at a couple comparison courses, namely TPC River Highlands and TPC Twin Cities.

While we do have these stats to back up certain calls, ultimately, the vibes of the teams and this event ultimately matter more. We've seen everything from World No. 1's to teams of comparatively unknowns win here, proving that this event is truly a crapshoot. Let's try to find some diamonds!

 

Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2026 Field: Golf DFS

Given the team aspect of this event, this event has one of the more intriguing fields. The teams can be comprised of anyone, and we see some interesting pairings, such as Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka (maybe the best team on paper) who may just be two talented players and have to compare them to teams of college teammates, neighbors, or even siblings (see Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick). This is a softer field as a result, with Matt Fitzpatrick being the only top 10 player by OWGR, and only 8 others in the top 50.

 

 

This Week’s PGA DFS Optimizer & Lineup Generator

To enhance your daily fantasy golf selections and secure optimal PGA DFS values, it's advisable to utilize our PGA DFS optimizer and lineup generator. This optimizer serves as a valuable resource for daily fantasy golf enthusiasts aiming to develop effective lineups!

It provides projections, updates on player injuries, and a range of analytical insights to facilitate the lineup-building process. Essentially, it functions as a strategic advantage for participants in daily fantasy golf and makes their own PGA DFS picks!

PGA Best Bets & Predictions: 2026 RBC Heritage (13-18 Overall, +3.65 Units)

  • Luke Clanton + Blades Brown: Top 20 (+144)
  • Sahith Theegala + Aaron Rai: Top 20 (-160) 
 

GOLF DFS PICKS THIS WEEK: Top Tier

Shane Lowry + Brooks Kopeka ($10,000)

As I previously stated, this is the best team on paper in the event from a pure talent perspective. Lowry has been getting an absurd amount of hole-outs, and brings a ton of scoring upside, where Koepka's game still has holes, but he's been one of the best ball-strikers on the planet recently. This team has some interesting vibes, but should be fun enough to watch.

Matt Fitzpatrick + Alex Fitzpatrick ($10,500)

Matt is a two time winner on the PGA Tour this year, and Alex got his first win on the DP World Tour this season. That's enough for me to be interested. Fitzpatrick is becoming one of the best players in the game, and is coupling amazing game off the tee (5th in my model) with amazing approach play (4th). Perhaps most importantly, both of these players rank top 10 in Par 5 scoring this season, leading me to believe that they have the firepower to take this home and add to their resume.

Andrew Novak + Ben Griffin ($9,700)

The defending champions are running it back, and while neither of them are playing at the level they were last season, I fully believe the vibes this event can bring can carry these two into contention. These two are best friends, and that can go a long way here. Griffin is still one of the top players in the field, and while the results haven't matched last season thus far, he's showing signs that he's still a weekly threat.

 

 

GOLF DFS PICKS THIS WEEK: MID-TIER

Sudarshan Yellamaraju + Ryan Gerard ($9,500)

Both of these players have been on the rise this year, and that's something I'm going to give some extra value to. Yellamaraju is having a breakout on the PGA Tour, where he's been an elite ball-striker and driver thus far this year, and Gerard has been putting in the work to elevate his game after almost missing out on a spot in the Masters. These two have very complimentary skill-sets, and that'll play here.

Michael Thorbjornsen + Karl Vilips ($9,400)

College teammates? Sign me up. These guys don't pop on paper, and both have been average to bad this season, but again, the vibes reign supreme this week. Thor has been better off the tee and around the green, Vilips has been the better scorer, and I'm going to hope that their history together plays them up this week.

Sahith Theegala + Aaron Rai ($9,200)

These two were in this exact spot last year, and I'm running it back. Theegala is a top 5 player in this field and is finally healthy, and Rai continues to be the same player he's been throughout his career. Sahith will likely have to carry the workload this week, but Rai is no stranger to carding eagles, and if his ball-striking remains as consistent as it has through his career, this team can easily compete here.

 

GOLF DFS PICKS THIS WEEK: VALUE TIER

Sam Stevens + Zach Bauchou ($8,300)

These Sea Island, Georgia residents are friends and players who are both close. Stevens has been the better of the two players this year, especially off the tee, but both offer solid ball-striking, and Bauchou brings better scrambling and putting. I'll take this dynamic 10 times out of 10 here.

Johnny Keefer + Michael Brennan ($8,200)

Two east coasters (though not neighbors) who have something to prove? Sounds reminiscent of a certain winning team from last season. When both of these guys are playing to their potential, they make a formidable squad. Keefer has had solid ball-striking numbers at times, and Brennan is a masher who can putt well. If things fall in line, I wouldn't be surprised to see these two at the top of the leaderboard come Sunday. 

Erik Van Rooyen + Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($7,400)

South Africans unite! Van Rooyen and Bezuidenhout both have a ton of game and potential, and they do actually line up well for this course. Van Rooyen is a masher, and Bezuidenhout might be the best short-game player on the planet. Power and accuracy go a long way here (pun intended) so I have some faith in these guys to surprise, not to mention a solid performance or win here would go a long way to helping Van Rooyen keep his card for another year.

Player Pool

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