Zurich Classic of New Orleans: How this week’s team tournament works | Golf News

Zurich Classic of New Orleans features walk-on music and alternating foursomes and fourballs format; Masters champion and World No 1 Scottie Scheffler partners Ryan Palmer, while Shane Lowry plays with Ian Poulter; watch live on Sky Sports Golf from Thursday

Masters champion and World No 1 Scottie Scheffler will team with Ryan Palmer at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Masters champion and World No 1 Scottie Scheffler will look to continue his rich vein of form when he partners Ryan Palmer in this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, live on Sky Sports.

Scheffler’s victory at Augusta National earlier this month, when he finished three strokes clear of Rory McIlroy, earned him his fourth title in six starts, with the 25-year-old also triumphing at the WM Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

Scheffler will team with Palmer at the event in Louisiana, with Palmer looking to follow up his victory in this event with Jon Rahm back in 2019.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

A look at how 2022 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler has risen through the ranks to become World No 1

The tournament, which will feature 80 teams, uses an alternating fourballs and foursomes format, with the fourballs played over rounds one and three (Thursday and Saturday) and the foursomes over rounds two and four (Friday and Sunday).

In the fourballs, each player will play their own ball with the best individual score on each hole counting as the team’s score.

In the foursomes, players will take alternate shots until the ball is holed. One player will tee off on the even-numbered holes and the other on odd-numbered holes.

The cut will take place after the second round with 33 teams, or those tied in 33rd position, advancing through to the final two rounds.

If two teams are tied at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the four rounds, a hole-by-hole, sudden-death play-off will be played with the first hole played as foursomes, the second hole fourballs and so on and so forth until a winner is decided.

Adding a sense of razzamatazz to proceedings, teams will head to the tee with walk-on songs.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Highlights of the final round of the RBC Heritage where Jordan Spieth beat Patrick Cantlay after a play-off

Some of the most intriguing pairings include defending champions Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman – Smith is actually a two-time winner having triumphed alongside Jonas Blixt in 2017 – and the alliance between World No 2 Collin Morikawa and World No 5 Viktor Hovland.

Elsewhere, Shane Lowry plays with Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia teams up with Tommy Fleetwood, and there is an all-English pairing as Danny Willett partners Tyrrell Hatton. Plus, Jay Haas will play with son Bill.

Watch the Zurich Classic of New Orleans live on Sky Sports Golf this week. Red button coverage starts at 1.30pm on Thursday, with the action then on the main channel from 6pm.

Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland