The PGA TOUR will be hosting the team based Zurich Classic of New Orleans this week at TPC Louisiana (par 72, 7,425 yards, POA Trivialis greens). There will be 80 two-player teams competing this week and the first round will be best ball format, which is when each golfer plays their own ball and the best score between each pairing is used as the team’s score for each hole. Below, I have featured some of my favorite bets to lead the Zurich Classic after the first round on DraftKings Sportsbook.
J.T. Poston/Keith Mitchell (+2500)
Poston and Mitchell should contend in their debut as a team this week. Both players are in the midst of excellent seasons. Poston has only missed one cut in 12 starts and he has posted five top-30 finishes, while Mitchell has only missed one cut in nine starts and he has carded three straight top-20 finishes entering this week. Most recently, Mitchell finished runner-up at the Corales Puntacana Championship last week, including an 8-under 62 in the first round, good enough to rank him second on the leaderboard after the first day of the event. This wasn’t a surprise by any means either, as Mitchell is leading the PGA TOUR in first round scoring average this season. The veteran led after the first round at the Houston Open last month and Mitchell incredibly has finished inside the top-three after the first round in each of his last four starts.
Mitchell also has been very successful at TPC Louisiana in the past. While with different teammates than Poston, Mitchell has finished inside the top-six in two of his last four starts at the Zurich Classic and during his T4 finish with Brandt Snedeker as his partner in 2021, Mitchell and Snedeker sat atop the leaderboard after the first round. Poston doesn’t have this type of resume at TPC Louisiana, but he did lead the American Express following the first round in January. Mitchell and Poston getting off to a hot start this week would be very fitting and they are the best first round leader bet for the Zurich Classic at +2500 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Rico Hoey/Sam Ryder (+4500)
Hoey and Ryder have never competed as a team before, but both players are in great form and they should have great chemistry. Hoey ranks third on the PGA TOUR in SGT2G this season and his tremendous ball striking has led to Hoey finishing T33rd or better in five of his last seven starts. As for Ryder, he has been a wizard with his flat stick, ranking third on the PGA TOUR in SGP and he has yet to miss a cut this season in 10 starts, with four of these finishes being top-25 results.
Ryder especially has been strong early at events. The 35-year-old ranks third on the PGA TOUR in first round scoring average this season and he was just the first round leader at the Valero Texas Open in his last start. Hoey has also been strong in this department, ranking 25th in first round scoring average this season. Combining their efforts should lead to plenty of early success for Hoey and Ryder, and they are a sensational bet to lead after the first round at these long +4500 odds. While with a different teammate in Doc Redman, Ryder and Redman led the Zurich Classic following the first round in 2021.
Sami Valimaki/Ben Silverman (+6000)
If looking for a longshot bet to lead after the first round, this duo is worth a sprinkle, thanks to Valimaki’s impressive play and early round heroics. Silverman has been a mess this season, making only two cuts in 10 starts, but Valimaki has made 8-of-10 cuts and he has finished T18th or better at three straight events. During this three-start stretch, Valimaki has gained strokes on approach and with his putter at every tournament, and he has shot under par in nine of his 12 rounds. Valimaki has specifically has been excellent to begin events this season, ranking fourth in first round scoring average.
The Finnish professional has found himself inside the top-10 following the first round in four of his last seven starts, and this pairing is a sleeper to lead after the first round this week if Valimaki can continue to thrive.
