Category: PGA Tour

Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2024 Saturday tee times, PGA Tour pairings and how to watch

The purse in NOLA has $1.286 million for each member of the winning team.

There are some familiar names on top of the leaderboard after 36 holes.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are one of the four teams tied for the lead at the halfway point of the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The duo sits at 13 under along with Davis Thompson and Andrew Novak, Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard as well as Aaron Rai and David Lipsky.

While those are the names at the top, there were a few notable teams who went home early after missing the cut.

The golf course, located in Avondale, is a par-72 track measuring 7,425 yards designed by Pete Dye.

The purse at the Zurich Classic is $8.9 million with $1,286,050 million going to each member of the winning team. The winners will also receive 400 FedEx Cup points each.

Davis Riley and Nick Hardy are the defending champions. This time around, they are among the groups tied for 32nd at 8 under, making the cut on the weekend.

Zurich Classic: Photos

From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the third round of the 2024 Zurich Classic. All times listed are ET.

Saturday tee times

1st tee

Time Players
8:14 a.m.
Nick Hardy-Davis Riley, Chandler Phillips-Jacob Bridgeman
8:27 a.m.
Vincent Norrman-Jorge Campillo, Kelly Kraft-Kevin Tway
8:40 a.m.
Nate Lashley-Rafael Campos, Chez Reavie-Brandt Snedeker
8:53 a.m.
Collin Morikawa-Kurt Kitayama, Peter Malnati-Russell Knox
9:06 a.m.
Brandon Wu-James Nicholas, Austin Eckroat-Chris Gotterup
9:19 a.m.
Chad Ramey-Martin Trainer, Brice Garnett-Sepp Straka
9:32 a.m.
Greyson Sigg-Chesson Hadley, Garrick Higgo-Ryan Fox
9:45 a.m.
Doug Ghim-Chan Kim, Matt Wallace-Thorbjorn Oleson
10:05 a.m.
Kevin Yu-C.T. Pan, Sam Stevens-Paul Barjon
10:18 a.m.
Dylan Wu-Justin Lower, Ben Taylor-Sean O’Hair
10:31 a.m.
K.H. Lee-Michael Kim, Matt Fitzpatrick-Alex Fitzpatrick
10:44 a.m.
Zac Blair-Marty Fishburn, Mac Meissner-Austin Smotherman
10:57 a.m.
Charley Hoffman-Nick Watney, Ben Kohles-Patton Kizzire
11:10 a.m.
Thomas Detry-Robert MacIntyre, Nico Echavarria-Max Greyserman
11:23 a.m.
Harry Hall-Scott Piercy, Keith Mitchell-Joel Dahmen
11:43 a.m.
Corey Conners-Taylor Pendrith, Luke List-Henrik Norlander
11:56 a.m.
Nick Taylor-Adam Hadwin, Patrick Cantlay-Xander Schauffele
12:09 p.m.
Callum Tarren-David Skinns, Zach Johnson-Ryan Palmer
12:22 p.m.
Davis Thompson-Andrew Novak, Ryan Brehm-Mark Hubbard
12:35 p.m.
Aaron Rai-David Lipsky, Rory McIlroy-Shane Lowry

How to watch, listen

ESPN+ is the exclusive home of PGA Tour Live. You can also watch the RBC Heritage on Golf Channel free on Fubo. All times ET.

Saturday, April 27

Golf Channel/Peacock: 1-3 p.m

CBS: 3-6 p.m.

Sirius XM: 1-6 p.m

ESPN+: 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m

Sunday, April 28

Golf Channel/Peacock: 1-3 p.m

CBS: 3-6 p.m.

Sirius XM: 1-6 p.m

ESPN+: 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m

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Jordan Spieth, Will Zalatoris highlight field for PGA Tour’s 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson

The PGA Tour is heading back to Texas.

The PGA Tour is heading back to Texas.

The CJ Cup Byron Nelson is set to begin next week at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, outside of Dallas. The tournament, formerly sponsored by AT&T, is the third of four stops in the Lone Star State for the Tour in 2024, with the final being the Charles Schwab Challenge in May.

The title sponsor is new but golf fans should know this is the same tournament that was established in 1940 and not the continuation of the CJ Cup event that was previously staged in South Korea, Las Vegas and South Carolina. CJ has simply taken over title sponsorship of the long-running Byron Nelson event.

Dallas residents Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim and Will Zalatoris will be in the field, as will defending champion Jason Day, who shot 9-under 63 on Sunday a year ago to claim his first title in more than five years. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who was in the field last year, is not this year as he and wife Meredith await the birth of their first child.

Here’s a look at the full field for the 2024 CJ Cup Byson Nelson, which will have a field of 156, a total purse of $9.5 million and a first-place-prize of $1.71 million:

Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry finish Friday strong to stay in contention at the Zurich Classic 2024

“We hung in there and 2 under is not a bad score.”

AVONDALE, La. — After shooting 61 in fourballs Thursday during the opening round of the Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry accomplished what they set out to do: stay in contention heading into the weekend. In fact, the Irish pair have a share of the lead.

Teeing off on the 10th hole, about 14 hours after completing a round that included 11 birdies, McIlroy and Lowry knew Friday was going to be more challenging. Instead of having two balls in play and two chances to make a birdie, Friday’s foursomes format, also known as alternate shot, would make it harder to score and put pressure on both players.

“It was a tough day,” Lowry said after coming out of the scorer’s trailer. “I feel like we did a good job and came back towards the end. In the middle of the round, we let it get away from us a little bit, but that’s foursomes. We hung in there, and 2 under is not a bad score.”

That 2-under 70 moved Lowry and McIlroy to 13 under for the tournament and into a tie for the lead with David Lipsky and Aaron Rai, who also shot 70. Joining those teams at 13 under are Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard, who shot 70 on Friday, along with Andrew Novak and Davis Thompson, who shot 69.

After making a bogey on the par-5 18th hole Friday evening, 2022 Zurich Classic winners, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay are among six teams tied for fifth at 12 under. Among the others are Callum Tarren and David Skinns, who shot 69, veterans Zach Johnson and Ryan Palmer, and Canada’s Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin. Eight more teams are tied at 11 under heading into the third rough.

While the leaderboard remained tightly packed throughout the morning’s action, all eyes were on the Irish Ryder Cup stars.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry walks down the fairway to the 18th green during the second round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. (Photo: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports)

After making par on the opening hole, Lowry, who teed off on the odd-numbered holes, hit a drive into good position, but McIlroy’s approach on the par 5 went over the green. Hitting the next shot, Lowry deftly chipped the ball into a bank behind the hole and then watched the ball pop onto the green and nearly roll into the cup for an eagle. After McIlroy tapped in for birdie, they reached 12 under.

“Shane has got a wonderful short game, and it gives me confidence going for those greens, whether it be the par 4s or the par 5s,” McIlroy said. “If I get it anywhere up there around the green, I’m going to have a very good look for birdie after he hits his.”

After making a bogey on 12 and recovering with a birdie on 13, the 17th hole, a 211-yard par 3 with water along the left side, provided some levity. Lowry’s tee shot was left of the left-positioned flagstick the whole way, and he said, “Sorry Rors,” while the ball flew toward the green. McIlroy already had a tee in his hand, preparing to hit his team’s next shot, when Lowry’s ball landed in the collar short and left of the green, staying dry by three or four feet.

Lowry comically fell to the ground and laid on his back in relief. McIlroy and the crowd around the tee box burst into laughter before Rory putted from the fringed area to about four feet and Lowry made the par putt to keep the pair at 12 under.

The next four holes gave McIlroy and Lowry trouble, mainly because Lowry’s putter went cold. After McIlroy hit a great chip from behind the 18th green to set up a three-foot birdie putt, Lowry missed. From 145 yards out on the next hole, McIlroy’s approach shot was a dart that stopped 10 feet from the hole, but Lowry missed the birdie putt again. Lowry missed a 15-foot birdie putt on the next hole, then a 10-foot par putt on the third hole.

“After those, it’s easy to sort of get hard on yourself, and I was just trying to keep (Shane) as positive as possible and just remind him that I’m here,” McIlroy said. “I’m here to back him up in any way that I can. I was just trying to keep him positive.”

It worked because on the fourth hole, Lowry drained a 15-foot par putt that jumpstarted the team’s round.

“I started to get a little bit into myself,” Lowry said. “But to roll that one in was nice, and to play the last few holes the way we did was really nice, too. I think it was a bit of a lesson there for myself, to kind of keep going, and just keep trying and keep plugging away. We did that today, and I’m pretty happy with how we finished.”

Lowry hit a great chip on the seventh hole to set up a tap-in birdie for McIlroy, who, on the next hole, hit a drive that went about 360 yards down the eighth fairway and came to rest in a fairway bunker just short of the green.

“I’ve been there in two before,” Lowry joked. “I knew seven and eight were going to be good chances for us because I knew Rory could drive the green on eight. I knew seven was going to play short. As long as I hit a good drive there, it was going to be a mid-iron for Rory. I knew we had a couple of chances coming in. We managed to take them, and that was nice.”

Among the teams not sticking around for the weekend include, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as Francesco Molinari and Luke Donald.

Lynch: Rory McIlroy thinks he can help the PGA Tour’s board. Bless the lad’s optimism

Recipients’ eyes danced directly to equity numbers, but only the obtuse will miss Monahan’s subtext.

For three years, men’s professional golf has felt like an endless loop of a scene from Oliver Stone’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, in which an aspiring tycoon turns to an established tycoon and asks, “What’s your number?” — meaning the dollar amount with which he would be content. The answer?

“More.”

This week, the sport — or at least the PGA Tour’s corner of it — inched closer to drawing a line under the flagrant greed that has disfigured the game, diluted the product, disgusted fans, alienated sponsors, undermined partners, undercut governing bodies and beggared reputations, all while enriching golfers beyond their dreams and the parameters of any rational market valuation. On April 24, Jay Monahan notified a couple hundred guys of the equity value they’ve been gifted in the for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises. Recipients’ eyes will have danced directly to their numbers, but only the obtuse will miss the subtext that Monahan is too politic to spell out: Want more? Work to earn it. Don’t like it? Go forth and multiply.

Tour players have moved from imagining themselves as part of a member-led organization to one that’s member-owned, newly flush with compensation that was earned in much the same way that hostage-takers earn a ransom. Of course, there’s an enormous difference between being even nominal owners and actually being equipped for such a role. Rory McIlroy admitted as much when he met the media in New Orleans on the day Monahan’s memos were dispatched.

“We’re golfers at the end of the day. We don’t need to be trying to run a $15 billion business,” he said. “We need to go out there and play golf and let the business people do the business things.”

Players will eventually get back to playing, but not before one crucial and outstanding aspect of the Tour’s future is decided upon — a deal, or not, with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. The absence of meaningful progress on negotiations with the Saudis has McIlroy keen to rejoin the Tour’s Policy Board, which he quit five months ago.

2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan at a press conference prior to the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course on March 27, 2024, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images)

“I think I can be helpful. I don’t think there’s been much progress made in the last eight months, and I was hopeful that there would be. I think I could be helpful to the process. But only if people want me involved, I guess,” he said, with commendable optimism. “If it was something that other people wanted, I would gladly take that seat.”

Sponsors and fans might welcome the Tour’s only active needle-mover getting involved anew, but others won’t be thrilled at the prospect. A small faction on the board sees McIlroy as allied with those who engineered the Framework Agreement last June, and also view his publicly stated position — that a Saudi compromise is both essential and urgent — as incompatible with their positions, the particulars of which they haven’t yet revealed for the record.

The game of musical chairs among player-directors is emblematic of the PGA Tour’s board-level dysfunction. McIlroy left in November and a small group of players chose Jordan Spieth as his replacement. Now Webb Simpson wants out and has nominated McIlroy as his backfill. Yet any grumblings about the need for a credible confirmation process this time ring hollow when Tiger Woods was summarily added with no expiration on his term, something conveniently overlooked by player-directors who prefer to focus their governance gripes on the secretive process that led to the Framework Agreement.

McIlroy rejoining the board wouldn’t necessarily hasten progress toward a settlement with the Saudis. No one player wields that influence. The lack of momentum on that front doesn’t owe to inertia at Tour headquarters or apathy among the Strategic Sports Group investors whose billion-five has just been spent on the equity program. It’s at least partly because briery issues remain unaddressed — how LIV golfers could return to the PGA Tour, the future of team events — and the only man in the PIF orbit empowered to negotiate those, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, apparently lacks the time or inclination to do so right now.

But McIlroy’s return might help usher the board beyond the schoolboy squabbles that have beset proceedings for 10 months, and which have exhausted even their entertainment value. The sooner that happens, the sooner players will do what he suggested: get back to playing and leave the business to those qualified for the job.

Players got what they wanted — more. More money and more power. When they eventually accept that their role is one of oversight and not management, then perhaps the Tour can focus on giving more to disaffected fans and sponsors who are weary of being squeezed like gullible johns on the Vegas Strip. Because those stakeholders are perilously close to withdrawing their equity from the sport.

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Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2024 Friday tee times, PGA Tour pairings and how to watch

The purse at the Zurich Classic has $1.286 million for each member of the winning team.

After a quartet of 61s on Thursday, the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans moves on to Friday’s second round at TPC Louisiana.

The golf course, located in Avondale, is a par-72 track measuring 7,425 yards designed by Pete Dye.

The purse at the Zurich Classic is $8.9 million with $1,286,050 million going to each member of the winning team. The winners will also receive 400 FedEx Cup points each.

Davis Riley and Nick Hardy are the defending champions.

Zurich Classic: Top 10 teams to watch

From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the second round of the 2024 Zurich Classic. All times listed are ET.

Friday PGA Tour tee times

1st tee

Tee time Teams
9:20 a.m.
Troy Merritt / Robert Streb and Roger Sloan / Josh Teater
9:31 a.m.
Callum Tarren / David Skinns and Aaron Rai / David Lipsky
9:42 a.m.
Austin Cook / Raul Pereda and Ted Potter Jr. / Alejandro Tosti
9:53 a.m.
Francesco Molinari / Luke Donald and Matt Wallace / Thorbjorn Olesen
10:04 a.m.
Zach Johnson / Ryan Palmer and Eric Cole / Russ Cochran
10:15 a.m.
Peter Malnati / Russell Knox and K.H. Lee / Michael Kim
10:26 a.m.
Nate Lashley / Rafael Campos and Ben Martin / Carson Young
10:37 a.m.
Jonathan Byrd / Scott Gutschewski and Dylan Wu / Justin Lower
10:48 a.m.
Robby Shelton / Wilson Furr and Harry Higgs / Trace Crowe
10:59 a.m.
Norman Xiong / Ryan McCormick and Hayden Springer / Tom Whitney
1:35 p.m.
Kevin Chappell / Jason Dufner and Davis Thompson / Andrew Novak
1:46 p.m.
Garrick Higgo / Ryan Fox and C.T. Pan / Kevin Yu
1:57 p.m.
Taylor Montgomery / Ben Griffin and Thomas Detry / Robert MacIntyre
2:08 p.m.
Sahith Theegala / Will Zalatoris and Patrick Cantlay / Xander Schauffele
2:19 p.m.
Nick Hardy / Davis Riley and Brice Garnett / Sepp Straka
2:30 p.m.
Kevin Kisner / Scott Brown and Tom Hoge / Maverick McNealy
2:41 p.m.
Matt Kuchar / Steve Stricker and Corey Conners / Taylor Pendrith
2:52 p.m.
Daniel Berger / Victor Perez and Andrew Putnam / Joe Highsmith
3:03 p.m.
Chandler Phillips / Jacob Bridgeman and Erik Barnes / Harrison Endycott
3:14 p.m.
Jimmy Stanger / Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Thriston Lawerence / Aldrich Potgieter

10th tee

Tee time Teams
9:20 a.m. Sangmoon Bae / S.H. Kim and Alex Smalley / Matti Schmid
9:31 a.m. Scott Piercy / Harry Hall and Sam Ryder / Beau Hossler
9:42 a.m. Austin Eckroat / Chris Gotterup and Keith Mitchell / Joel Dahmen
9:53 a.m. Collin Morikawa / Kurt Kitayama and Rory McIlroy / Shane Lowry
10:04 a.m. Billy Horschel / Tyson Alexander and Nick Taylor / Adam Hadwin
10:15 a.m. Matt Fitzpatrick / Alex Fitzpatrick and Nicolai Hojgaard / Rasmus Hojgaard
10:26 a.m. Gary Woodland / Lee Hodges and Chez Reavie / Brandt Snedeker
10:37 a.m. Kevin Streelman / Martin Laird and Sean O’Hair / Ben Taylor
10:48 a.m. Vincent Norrman / Jorge Campillo and Chesson Hadley / Grayson Sigg
10:59 a.m. Parker Coody / Pierceson Coody and Ben Silverman / Kevin Dougherty
1:35 p.m. Adam Long / Vince Whaley and Kevin Tway / Kelly Kraft
1:46 p.m. Jhonattan Vegas / Bronson Burgoon and Sam Stevens / Paul Barjon
1:57 p.m. Carl Yuan / Zecheng Dou and Doug Ghim / Chan Kim
2:08 p.m. Chad Ramey / Martin Trainer and Ryan Brehm / Mark Hubbard
2:19 p.m. J.J. Spaun / Hayden Buckley and Taylor Moore / Matt NeSmith
2:30 p.m. Nico Echavarria / Max Greyserman and Cameron Champ / MJ Daffue
2:41 p.m. Luke List / Henrik Norlander and Charley Hoffman / Nick Watney
2:52 p.m. Patton Kizzire / Ben Kohles and Zac Blair / Patrick Fishburn
3:03 p.m. Brandon Wu / James Nicholas and Justin Suh / Rico Hoey
3:14 p.m. Mac Meissner / Austin Smotherman and Paul Haley II / Blaine Hale Jr.

How to watch, listen

ESPN+ is the exclusive home of PGA Tour Live. You can also watch the RBC Heritage on Golf Channel free on Fubo. All times ET.

Friday, April 26

Golf Channel/Peacock: 2-6 p.m

Sirius XM: 12-6 p.m

ESPN+: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m

Saturday, April 27

Golf Channel/Peacock: 1-3 p.m

CBS: 3-6 p.m.

Sirius XM: 1-6 p.m

ESPN+: 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m

Sunday, April 28

Golf Channel/Peacock: 1-3 p.m

CBS: 3-6 p.m.

Sirius XM: 1-6 p.m

ESPN+: 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m

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PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic merchandise offers unique bayou flavor

New Orleans is a city of rich history and tradition. The tournament’s merchandise reflects that history and diversity.

It’s always entertaining when the PGA Tour heads to New Orleans, Louisiana, for something that offers a change of pace from the normal 72-hole stroke play format.

The 2024 Zurich Classic is a team event, with pairs of the world’s best players dueling it out on Pete Dye’s TPC Louisiana layout.

New Orleans is a city of rich history and tradition while offering some of the best food in the world. The tournament’s merchandise reflects that history and diversity.

Here are some of the best items from the Zurich Classic’s Fan Shop.

Low scores the norm on Thursday at the Zurich Classic

Zurich’s Fourball format drops scores faster than oysters and beers go down on Bourbon Street.

AVONDALE, La. – There’s a saying in golf that you can’t win the tournament on Thursday, but you can lose it, and no event epitomizes that adage like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Unlike other PGA Tour events, for the last seven years this event has been unique with its two-man team format. It also drops the traditional 72-hole stroke play format in favor of Fourball (best ball) in the first and third rounds and Foursomes (alternate shot) in the second and fourth rounds. This means that on Thursday and Saturday, each team has two balls in play on every hole, and, ideally, two opportunities to make birdies. As you might suspect, that format drops scores faster than oysters and beers go down on Bourbon Street.

Taking advantage of excellent scoring conditions Thursday morning at TPC Louisiana, Davis Thompson and Andrew Novak birdied three of their first four holes. Then they made five more birdies and an eagle to shoot a 10-under 62, which put them atop the leaderboard as the morning wave of teams worked around the 7,425-yard course.

“(Davis) teed off first on every hole, and he was driving it so good off the tee that I never really stressed out when I was hitting,” Novak said. “We just played our own game and tried to make birdies because it was pretty gettable. We were the first group out on the day, so the greens were rolling perfect.”

You will never hear professional golfers say anything negative about a 62, but Thompson and Novak were not fist-bumping or high-fiving after they walked off their final hole. Scores like theirs are expected on Fourball days here.

2024 Zurich Classic
Davis Thompson and Andrew Novak on the 8th green during the first round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Davis Riley partnered with Nick Hardy to win here last season, and they shot an opening round 64. In his pre-tournament press conference, Riley said, “You kind of really figure out where you are in the tournament after the second day, once you get one best ball and one alternate shot (round) under your belt.”

The stats reinforce Riley’s point because coming into this week, the average first-round score in PGA Tour events for a player who finished the week in the top 10 was 67.82. But the average score of a team that finished in the top 10 at last season’s Zurich Classic was 63.8. In 2022, it was 62.3, and in 2021 it was 64.4. 

The highest score of a team to finish in the top 10 over the last three years at TPC Louisiana was a 67 from Thomas Pieters and Tom Lewis in 2021. So, if you want to contend in the Bayou, your team needs to go low on Thursday.

“In my mind, I felt like double digits (under par) was very attainable,” Thompson said. “I felt like we just needed to take advantage of the par 5s. On the par 4s, we had wedges in, so you try to make birdies there. The par 3s are tough out here, so we were just trying to get two looks (at birdie), and I feel we did that on everyone until the last.” 

Shortly after Thompson and Novak signed their cards and headed to the clubhouse for lunch, Robert MacIntyre and Thomas Detry posted a 62, and then Ryan Fox and Garrick Higgo finished at 9-under 63. Ryan Brehm and his partner, Mark Hubbard, topped them all with a 61 as group after group posted low rounds Thursday.

However, as Fox said, every player fully understands that birdies and low scores will probably be tougher to make on Friday in Foursomes.

“Today, you kind of take everything on,” Fox said. “Tomorrow, you’ve got to be a bit more circumspect and sort of hope one of you gets hot with the putter and he’s the guy that ends up putting a lot.”

Rickie Fowler makes hole-in-one with star-studded group at one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the country

Justin Thomas had the perfect reaction to his buddy making an ace.

Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas were known for their wild spring break golf trips at Bakers Bay that featured the likes of Jordan Spieth and Smylie Kaufman in their younger years. You know, when Snapchat was all the rage back in 2017.

The pair went on another golf trip this week, but it wasn’t to a resort course in paradise. Fowler and Thomas were with Eli Manning, Theo Epstein and a few others at the exclusive Pine Valley Golf Club in Pine Hill, New Jersey, which ranks as Golfweek’s Best No. 1 classic course in the country and No. 1 private course in the state.

According to a signed pin flag by the players in the group, Fowler aced the par-3 third hole from 182 yards out with a 7-iron, and the hole-in-one was captured on video and shared on social media on Thursday morning.

Rickie and JT are no strangers to aces, they’re professional golfers after all. But you just have to love the reaction on the tee box, jumping and screaming like a couple of amateurs at the local muni. Pro golfers, sometimes they’re just like us.

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Photos: Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2024 at TPC Louisiana

Here’s a look at the best photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic.

The PGA Tour’s lone team event of the season takes the circuit to Avondale, Louisiana, for the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Davis Riley and Nick Hardy are defending champions after a record-setting performance in 2023, but past winners Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, along with new challengers Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry will battle it out for the title.

Players will switch between best-ball format on Thursday and Saturday to alternate shot on Friday and Sunday. The top 33 teams and ties make the cut after the second round.

Here’s a look at the best photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic:

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PGA Tour executive Tyler Dennis details Player Equity Program, payouts and more

“We want to make the PGA Tour as good as it can possibly be.”

Tyler Dennis called the moment historic.

That’s what the PGA Tour’s Chief Competitions Officer said Wednesday when speaking to Golf Channel’s Anna Jackson discussing the PGA Tour Enterprises Player Equity Program, which was introduced Wednesday.

The program, which is a joint venture between the PGA Tour and Strategic Sports Group, will reward 200 PGA Tour players with $1.5 billion in equity. The program rewards players based on career achievements, future participation and services and more. The grants are only available to qualified players.

The program gives players the opportunity to be owners of the organization, which is unique since there are so many Tour players with their hands in the pot.

“There’s no other sports league in the world that has this significant number of their athletes as owners of their own sports organization,” Dennis said. “And we’re really excited about it because ultimately, we want to do what’s right. We want to grow the PGA Tour in many different ways and having the alignment of players as player-owners with the organization is going to allow us to drive that quickly forward. We’re really excited about it.”

Dennis said there has been a lot of positive feedback about the Player Equity Program among the membership since the announcement. He said it has grown in positivity since the announcement of SSG getting involved in creating the for-profit entity, PGA Tour Enterprises, earlier this year.

“We want the players to be fully aligned with their organization,” Dennis said. “It’s something no other sport has done before and we’re seeing an incredible amount of excitement about that.”

Dennis also said this investment will be extremely beneficial to the fans, which has become a big talking point in recent months regarding discussions of the state of professional golf.

“Fans want to see the PGA Tour leap forward,” Dennis said. “We’re really focused on innovating. We haven’t stood still, we’ve done a lot over the last few months to have the players directly engaged in that.”

Not every player is included in the equity program, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be ways to get involved or for younger stars and rookies to get their hands in the pot.

Toward the end of the interview, Jackson asked whether players will be expected to contribute to the growth to increase their value beyond just playing PGA Tour events.

“Well, ultimately, we have an incredible sport and that our athletes really care about,” Dennis said. “They’re constantly every day thinking about how to improve our platform about our products. That’s a unique thing in sports and our athletes are out entertaining clients and sponsors that help us put on this tournament and ultimately drive a significant amount of charity, so it’s sort of built into the sport.

“Our players are highly engaged. We had a great advisory council meeting, where we talked about things from other sports that we’ve learned. I think what we want them to do is play golf. You know, fans want to see them display their incredible skills on the course. But being aligned with the overall goals of the organization is really what this latest announcement today is about.”

Dennis said he wasn’t able to discuss whether players who return from LIV Golf to the PGA Tour would be able to be a part of the program, but he did mention talks continue to accelerate with the PIF.

In the roughly 10-minute interview, Dennis mentioned the word “exciting” nine different times in addition to “historic.” Although nothing major is changing in terms of the schedule, Dennis said the players are striving to deliver the best product for fans.

“We want to make the PGA Tour as good as it can possibly be,” Dennis said.