2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Odds, Picks: Surprising Predictions from Model That Nailed 17 Majors

The sole official PGA Tour team competition is scheduled for this week, as the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans begins its run on Thursday morning at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. The tournament will be hosted at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana. It features a total prize fund of $9.5 million and awards 400 FedEx Cup points to each member of the victorious pairing. Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin claimed victory in the previous year. What was once an individual stroke-play event transformed into a partner format in 2017, with rounds alternating between best ball and alternate shot disciplines.

The current 2026 Zurich Classic betting lines, as provided by FanDuel Sportsbook, place the reigning champions at +1800. This valuation positions them in a tie for fourth place on the PGA odds chart alongside Ryan Gerard and Sudarshan Yellamaraju. They trail behind the sibling duo of Alex and Matthew Fitzpatrick, who are listed at +1000, Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry at +1200, and Michael Thorbjornsen and Karl Vilips at +1600. Before finalizing any selections for the 2026 Zurich Classic, it is advisable to consult the golf forecasts and anticipated leaderboard generated by the highly accurate computer model from SportsLine.

The proprietary SportsLine analytical framework, developed by daily fantasy sports expert Mike McClure, has conducted 10,000 simulations for every PGA Tour event and consistently provides golf betting recommendations known for their significant profitability.

This very same analytical tool has successfully predicted the outcomes of an impressive 17 major tournaments leading into the current weekend, including the 2026 Masters – marking its fifth consecutive Masters prediction – as well as both the PGA Championship and the Open Championship from the previous year. Anyone who has followed its sports wagering advice could have achieved substantial profits on various betting sites.

Having established the complete lineup for the 2026 Zurich Classic, the model proceeded to simulate the event 10,000 times, yielding surprising outcomes. Navigate to SportsLine immediately to access the projected leaderboard, which can inform your PGA choices, one-and-done pool entries, or PGA DFS roster selections.

2026 Zurich Classic predictions

A significant revelation from the model’s projections for the 2026 PGA Championship is its forecast against a victory for the Fitzpatrick brothers, despite their status as betting favorites. Matt Fitzpatrick arrives at this tournament in excellent form, having secured a win at the RBC Heritage last week and the Valspar Championship in March. Furthermore, he achieved a second-place finish at the Players Championship and a tied-18th position at the Masters earlier this year. His brother, Alex, however, is participating through a sponsor’s invitation and possesses a considerably less distinguished competitive history. Given the inclusion of the alternate-shot format for two rounds, the model indicates that this pair does not represent optimal value for a win at their +1200 odds. Discover additional teams to consider avoiding here.

Another unexpected finding: the model anticipates a strong performance from the tandem of Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala. This marks their third consecutive Zurich Classic playing together, a shared experience that is expected to yield benefits. Both golfers possess extensive PGA Tour experience, and Theegala, in particular, is enjoying a successful season on tour with four finishes inside the top 10. Despite their +2000 odds, the model foresees them as top-three contenders, positioning them as a highly valuable option for top Zurich Classic wagers. Find more recommended selections here.

How to make 2026 Zurich Classic picks

The model is also highlighting several other less favored teams, including one duo with 30-1 odds who are predicted to mount an astonishing challenge for the championship. The complete list of the model’s specific picks is exclusively available here.

Who will emerge victorious at the 2026 Zurich Classic, and which underdogs will captivate the golf community? Review the 2026 Zurich Classic betting lines provided below, then proceed to SportsLine to view the full projected leaderboard, all derived from the model that has accurately called 17 golf majors, including three in the year 2025.

2026 Zurich Classic odds, favorites

Obtain comprehensive 2026 Zurich Classic selections, top wagers, and forecasts here.
(odds courtesy of FanDuel and subject to alteration)

Matt Fitzpatrick & Alex Fitzpatrick +1000
Brooks Koepka & Shane Lowry +1200
Michael Thorbjornsen & Karl Vilips +1600
Ryan Gerard & Sudarshan Yellamaraju +1800
Andrew Novak & Ben Griffin +1800
Aaron Rai & Sahith Theegala +2000
Matt McCarty & Mac Meissner +2200
Taylor Moore & Wyndham Clark +2200
Marco Penge & Matt Wallace +2200
Haotong Li & Jordan Smith +2200
Johnny Keefer & Michael Brennan +2200
Zach Bauchou & Samuel Stevens +2500
Kris Ventura & Kristoffer Reitan +3000
Mackenzie Hughes & Taylor Pendrith +3000
Hayden Springer & Alex Smalley +3000
Davis Thompson & Austin Eckroat +3000
Kevin Yu & Tom Kim +3500
Kevin Roy & Max McGreevy +3500
Richard Hoey & David Lipsky +3500
Tony Finau & Max Greyserman +3500
Austin Smotherman & Andrew Putnam +4000
John Parry & Dan Brown +4000
Blades Brown & Luke Clanton +4500
Jacob Skov Olesen & Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +4500
Brandt Snedeker & Keith Mitchell +4500
Jackson Suber & Stephan Jaeger +4500
Matti Schmid & Seamus Power +4500
Vince Whaley & Greyson Sigg +5500
A.J. Ewart & Casey Jarvis +5500
Zecheng Dou & Dylan Wu +5500
William Mouw & Takumi Kanaya +5500
Hank Lebioda & Eric Cole +5500
Jesper Svensson & Pontus Nyholm +5500
Erik van Rooyen & Christiaan Bezuidenhout +5500
Beau Hossler & Sam Ryder +5500
Doug Ghim & Jeffrey Kang +6500
Justin Lower & Chad Ramey +6500
Adrien Dumont de Chassart & Davis Chatfield +6500
Billy Horschel & Tom Hoge +6500
Martin Couvra & Matthieu Pavon +6500
Patton Kizzire & Chris Kirk +6500
John VanDerLaan & Chandler Blanchet +7000
Carson Young & Chandler Phillips +7000
Trey Mullinax & David Skinns +7000
Matt Kuchar & Garrick Higgo +8000
Lanto Griffin & Ben Kohles +8000
Kevin Streelman & Joel Dahmen +8000
Lee Hodges & Brice Garnett +8000
Adam Svensson & Adam Hadwin +8000
Patrick Fishburn & Zac Blair +8000
Neal Shipley & Christo Lamprecht +8000
Cameron Champ & Ben Silverman +8000
Ryan Brehm & Mark Hubbard +10000
Ben Martin & Trace Crowe +10000
Adam Schenk & Tyler Duncan +10000
Jimmy Stanger & Danny Walker +10000
Keita Nakajima & Kensei Hirata +10000
Davis Riley & Nick Hardy +10000
Jeremy Paul & Harry Higgs +10000
Taylor Montgomery & Scott Piercy +10000
Frankie Capan III & Noah Goodwin +15000
Alejandro Tosti & Rafael Campos +15000
Paul Peterson & Will Gordon +15000
Nick Dunlap & Gordon Sargent +15000
Luke List & Henrik Norlander +15000
Chan Kim & Ryan Palmer +17500
Russell Knox & Peter Malnati +22500
Cam Davis & Geoff Ogilvy +22500
Nick Watney & Charley Hoffman +22500
Camilo Villegas & Marcelo Rozo +22500
Chez Reavie & Jonathan Byrd +25000
Robert Streb & Troy Merritt +25000
Kyle Stanley & James Hahn +50000
Jason Dufner & Austin Cook +50000