The PGA Tour Zurich Classic of New Orleans begins today, and the tournament has been "infused with energy" with its move to a two-man team format, according to Jeff Babineau of GOLFWEEK. The "new-look Zurich boasts six of the world’s top nine" in its field, and 13 of the top 25. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said, "Just look at the players who are playing who haven’t played that event in the past. ... The ability to choose who you’re going to play with, and for that week to look different than any other week, I think it’s going to be interesting to see -- really interesting to see -- what happens" (GOLFWEEK, 4/24 issue). In Baton Rouge, Scott Rabalais noted with the Zurich "pretty much halfway" between The Masters and The Players Championship, there are still questions like "whether some of the top names in this year’s field will return or take a 'been there, done that' attitude toward" the event in years to come. But the change in format is "good for the game." Fore! Kids Foundation CEO Steve Worthy, whose company runs the tournament, said, "It’s going to be a big year for us, and we’re very excited about it. The depth of our field last year got a little thin after the top 10." Rabalais wrote, "All the Zurich can do is be the best non-major it can be, and it seems the folks who run the tournament are on to something good" (THEADVOCATE.com, 4/22). In Mississippi, Brian Allee-Walsh noted the placement of the Zurich is "not an ideal landing spot on the tour schedule." But even though the two-man-team format "may offend some golf purists, something had to be done in New Orleans to break away from the norm" (Biloxi SUN HERALD, 4/26).
SHAKE IT UP: Golf writer Geoff Shackelford on his "ShackHouse" podcast said this is the time of year when it can “get a little boring, and (Zurich) has taken a big chance. They’ve upped the purse a little bit and they’ve got the PGA Tour on their side and the players on their side.” Shackelford: “The field is just, wow, for Zurich, they’ve done very nicely for themselves.” Co-host Joe House said, “I love anything that is done differently from a regular stroke play event. ... This thing all by itself is a really interesting animal.” Shackelford noted there are "some bizzarre pairings" but also "some obvious ones." The team of Rickie Fowler and Jason Day, "that's a sponsor, that's a Zurich pairing. I think they wanted to make a splash." Shackelford: "What they’ve done is take a chance, and it’s already paid off. ... Even if it’s a snoozefest on Sunday, the fact that they’ve got these players there and this kind of buzz has already transformed this event, and they’ve gotten their money’s worth" ("ShackHouse," THERINGER.com, 4/9). Shackelford: "I think other sponsors have noticed this." He said, "People have been talking about the Zurich Classic all year just because of this, both players and fans and media." Shackelford: "These are loners, they're individuals and now they have to play with a partner and in some cases, they don't know the partner very well and I think that just makes it that much more fun to watch" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 4/24).
NEW OUTLOOK UNDER MONAHAN? Shackelford noted golf fans are "excited that this is the first step in a multi-pronged attack at bringing in new formats on the Tour.” Monahan said, "We’ll continue to look at ways, we’ll be open to formats that we think are going to be interesting and compelling to our fans and drive growth through our tournaments. I wouldn’t suggest that our work is done. We’ll continue to think about what that next change might be, I don’t want to set a timeframe on that” ("ShackHouse," THERINGER.com, 4/9). The BBC’s Iain Carter wrote, "There was a time when such a format change might have been regarded as being 'a bit Mickey Mouse' but those days are gone." Golf "needs to evolve and this week's event is indicative of the Tour's fresher outlook" under Monahan (BBC, 4/25). Golf Channel's Tripp Isenhour said, "You can bet TV ratings will get a boost, sponsorships too. So given the instant success that appears likely, maybe the Tour should give some thought to some other out-of-the-box formats for events hoping to glam up their fields. ... If this week is as much fun as everyone thinks it will be, it's absolutely worth thinking about breaking the mold in other places" ("Golf Central," Golf Channel, 4/24). GOLF.com's weekly roundtable discussed the format change, with SI Golf's Jeff Ritter saying he is "hopeful the Zurich will inspire more events to shake it up." Caddie John Wood said the new format is "fantastic and a breath of fresh air for the Tour." Golf magazine's Joe Passov said he "wasn't on board with this one" until last week, when he had a "chance to see the PGA Tour Champions up close in a team format." Passov: "The camaraderie and teamwork are totally enjoyable to behold" (GOLF.com, 4/23).
