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Golf’s Odd Couple Showdown: Zurich Classic Drama, Swing Hacks & Trivia Inside

Golf’s Odd Couple Showdown: Zurich Classic Drama, Swing Hacks & Trivia Inside

Rory’s back, the PGA’s only team event gets spicy, plus a must-see swing tip and golf’s quirkiest trivia.

Happy Valley Golf Team
April 23, 2025

Good morning. This is your Happy Valley Golf Team newsletter. Let’s get it!

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

Rory McIlroy returns as a newly crowned Masters champ to defend the Zurich Classic title with Shane Lowry—the only team event on the PGA Tour, and the ultimate test of golf bromance.
Tournament preview: format breakdown, top contenders, record-breaking stats, and why no duo has ever repeated as champs.
Betting segment: value picks, sleeper teams, and why the defending champs are both favorites and a risky bet.
Bonus content: a viral video for a smoother golf swing, fresh golf trivia, and the latest headlines from the wild world of golf.

Unsolicited Golf Tips

Watch: Fastest Way to a Free Flowing Golf Swing

Golf Trivia

Which golfer holds the record for the lowest 72-hole score in relation to par in PGA Tour history?

The Zurich Classic: Where PGA Tour Golfers Actually Have to Make Friends

It's time for the PGA Tour's annual buddy system experiment. This weekend, golf's lone wolf athletes will play nice together at the 2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans (April 24-27) — the only team event on the PGA Tour schedule.

Two Bros, One Trophy

The $9.2M tournament at TPC Louisiana pits 80 two-person teams against each other in a format that'll give you serious Ryder Cup vibes:

Thursday & Saturday: Four-ball (aka "best ball") where both players play their own ball and take the lowest score
Friday & Sunday: Foursomes (aka "alternate shot") where teammates alternate hitting the same ball, which is basically golf's version of a trust exercise

The scoring goes nuclear in best ball rounds (expect scores in the very low 60s) before the brutal alternate shot format brings everyone back to earth. Average winning score since the team format began in 2017? A blistering 25.57-under par.

The Masters Champion's Victory Lap

Fresh off finally completing his career Grand Slam at Augusta, Rory McIlroy is back to pair with fellow Irishman Shane Lowry as they defend their 2024 Zurich title. No team has ever successfully defended at this event, so the +360 favourites are chasing history.

While McIlroy savours his green jacket afterglow, several other power couples are looking to break up the honeymoon:

Collin Morikawa & Kurt Kitayama: Combined for seven PGA Tour wins but struggled to a T-23 finish last year
Thomas Detry & Robert MacIntyre: Both secured their first PGA Tour wins in the past year
J.T. Poston & Keith Mitchell: Mitchell arrives with momentum after a T-2 at Corales Puntacana
The Brothers Højgaard: The Danish twins (Nicolai & Rasmus) bring identical DNA to a format that rewards chemistry

Notable Absences (aka "Sorry, Had Plans")

Several big names are skipping New Orleans this week, including Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Åberg, Justin Thomas, and Hideki Matsuyama7. Apparently, they couldn't find friends... or maybe they're just resting after a busy Masters-to-Hilton Head stretch.

Course Crash Course

TPC Louisiana is a 7,425-yard Pete Dye design that opened in 2004 specifically for this tournament. The par-72 layout features:

Plenty of water hazards (it's Louisiana, after all)
Strategic bunker placement (it's Pete Dye, after all)
Risk/reward short par-4s that tempt big hitters
TifEagle Bermudagrass greens running about 12½ feet on the Stimpmeter5

The course record in team play? A scorching 30-under 258 set by Nick Hardy and Davis Riley in 20235.

💰 Poeches Corner: Finding Value in Friendship

McIlroy/Lowry (+360) are the obvious favourites, but the hefty price tag might scare off bettors looking for better value. If you're hunting for a longshot that could pay off big:

Brice Garnett/Sepp Straka (33-1): Straka (world #16) has already won this year at The American Express and finished T-11 with Garnett at last year's Zurich. Their complementary skills (Straka's elite ball-striking + Garnett's scrambling prowess) make them an intriguing dark horse.
Alejandro Tosti/Joe Highsmith (40-1): Young guns with momentum — Highsmith won the Cognizant Classic earlier this year, while Tosti (fifth in driving distance) just finished T-2 at Corales Puntacana.
Billy Horschel/Tom Hoge (28-1): Horschel is the only player to win this event both individually (2013) and as part of a team (2018). He's grabbed five top-15 finishes in the team format while Hoge arrives hot with a T3-T5-T14-T18 run.