- Jason Day is set to tee it up at TPC Louisiana. He finished T4 in 2015. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
• FULL FIELD: Zurich Classic of New Orleans
• COURSE: TPC Louisiana, 7,425 yards, par 72. The 2004 Pete Dye creation, with Steve Elkington as a consultant, winds through some 250 acres of Louisiana wetlands just west of New Orleans. Featuring stately stands of cypress and oak trees, Dye added more than 100 bunkers and five ponds to increase the challenge along with several large waste bunkers early in the back nine. The Zurich Classic relocated there in 2005, though flooding a year later forced a one-time return to English Turn G&CC. TPC Louisiana often ranks among the PGA TOUR’s 10 easiest among those used all four days.
For more on all the courses in the TPC network, visit TPC.com.
• FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points.
• CHARITY: The Fore!Kids Foundation, which has given more than $30 million to children’s service organizations in Louisiana since its inception in 1958. Charitable distributions focus primarily on healthcare and education projects, with contributions to more than 110 outlets last year.
• FIELD WATCH: World No. 1 Jason Day, who shared the 54-hole lead last year, and defending champion Justin Rose head up a roster that features three of the top 10 in the World Ranking. No. 5 Rickie Fowler rounds out that trio. … Byeong Hun An, a former U.S. Amateur champion and last season’s European Tour Rookie of the Year, makes his first visit to TPC Louisiana. … Bobby Wyatt, who led Alabama to back-to-back NCAA titles, is in on a sponsor exemption. … Louisiana native David Toms, whose 2001 win over Phil Mickelson foreshadowed a PGA Championship reprise, is set to tee it up for the 23rd time in the event. … Three other LSU alums will join Toms in the field – Shriners Hospitals Open winner Smylie Kaufman, Andrew Loupe and Ben Taylor.
• 72-HOLE RECORD: 262, Chip Beck (1988 at Lakewood CC). TPC Louisiana record: 266, Justin Rose (2015).
• 18-HOLE RECORD: 61, Paul Stankowski (1st round, 2001 at English Turn G&CC). TPC Louisiana record: 62, Ben Martin (1st round, 2014).
• LAST YEAR: Rose finished strong on a soggy marathon day, using birdies at Nos. 17 and 18 to step to the front of a pack and claim his seventh PGA TOUR crown. The English pro began the day finishing off a 7-under-par 65 for his third round, then carded a 66 to finish one stroke ahead of Cameron Tringale. Rose punctuated his day with a 5-iron at the par-3 17th that came to rest 10 feet behind the hole for a birdie, then drained a 14-foot birdie at No.18. That put him two shots ahead of his pursuers, and Tringale could only birdie the 18th. Rose went his final 66 holes without a bogey, finishing with a tournament record of 22-under par. It also marked his sixth consecutive year with a win, second among active players behind Dustin Johnson (8).
• STORYLINES: Day seeks to bounce back from a disappointing weekend at the RBC Heritage, when he held a share of the 36-hole lead but tumbled with a third-round 79 amid Harbour Town’s breezes. It was his fourth-worst score on U.S. soil. … Rose attempts to become the sixth back-to-back champion in New Orleans, a feat last accomplished by Carlos Franco in 1999 and 2000. … Before Rose, the previous three Zurich Classic winners had made it their first PGA Tour victory – Seung-Yul Noh (2014), Billy Horschel (2013) and Jason Dufner (2012). Seven of the past 11 champions, in fact, were TOUR first-timers.
• SHORT CHIPS: New Orleans stands as the last chance for players to lock in a berth in THE PLAYERS Championship by moving into the top 10 in FedExCup points or top 50 of the world rankings. A spot also is open to the winner of next week’s Wells Fargo Championship, if not already in. … Rose’s 66-hole finish without a bogey last year matched the PGA TOUR’s best since officials began keeping track in 1983. Dillard Pruitt, now a TOUR rules official, also played a bogey-free final 66 in winning the 1991 Chattanooga Classic.
• TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).
• PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (featured groups), 3-6 p.m. (featured holes).
• RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.COM).
The PGSF makes its next stop in Louisiana at The Zurich Classic , after a big win Bobcat gets back into top 3 of overall standings with DFS still leading the way.
Good luck to everyone this week
