3 picks I love at the Zurich Classic, according to a professional gambler – Golf.com

By: Josh Sens April 19, 2022

Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman return to the Zurich Classic after winning last spring.

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The pros go marching two-by-two this week as the PGA Tour moves to team competition at the Zurich Classic. The outlier format (best ball in rounds 1 and 3; alternate shot in rounds 2 and 4) gives fans a fresh look, and gamblers new variables to consider.

There is no ShotLink data for team chemistry.

Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman, the defending champs, are pairing up again. But theyre hardly the only headline tandem among the 80 teams. Viktor Hovland and Collin Morikawa will be joining forces, as will California pals (and Ryder Cup partners) Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will be making his first appearance since his big win at the Masters, pegging it alongside fellow Texas Ryan Palmer. And lets not forget the family pairing of Bill Haas and his 68-year-old father, Jay.

Where to put our money?

Thats the question once again for GOLF.coms expert prognosticator Erick Lindgren, who followed up his winning Scheffler play at Augusta by correctly picking Jordan Spieth at last weeks RBC Heritage. (By the way, heres how much youd be up if you were following Lindgrens advice all season.)

For the modified-format Zurich Classic, weve tweaked our deal with Lindgren. Usually, we give him a $1,000 gambling budget (just play money) in exchange for his five favorite picks. But given the shortened field, weve asked Lindgren to offer up his three top plays for the event, which gets underway Thursday at TPC Louisiana.

(Looking to play any of these bets yourself? We teamed with BetMGM and the online sports book is offering a Risk-Free Bet of up to $1,000.)

Last years winners from Down Under are proven commodities in team competition, and Lindgren expects them to put up a proud defense. Its no surprise that they rank among the pre-tournament favorites. Keep in mind, Smith all took Jonas Blixt to the title in 2017, Lindgren says. Jonas Blixt!

A pair of birdie machines who have been pounding the ball of late, Sergio and Fleetwood should play off each other nicely, Lindgren says. The hope is that teaming up can help them avoid the Sunday slippage theyve shown when playing on their own.

Its hard to overstate the importance of motivation. This pairing brings together two longtime cardholders who are keen to maintain their full Tour status. They know when it is time to accumulate Fed Ex Cup points, and with just 80 teamsactually, make that 79 with Haas groupthere is no better spot to get them.

A golf, food and travel writer, Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes across all of GOLFs platforms. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting. He is also the co-author, with Sammy Hagar, of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook.

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3 picks I love at the Zurich Classic, according to a professional gambler - Golf.com