Cantlay-Schauffele, Morikawa-Homa, and Horschel-Burns are committed to play in the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC of Louisiana next week.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — There will be some noticeable absences from this year’s Zurich Classic, but after watching Ed Daniels’ full interview with tournament director Steve Worthy, you can still expect a highly competitive and successful tournament in New Orleans next week.
Two-time Classic champion and reigning British Open winner Cam Smith, as well as two-time Masters champion and 2011 Zurich Classic winner Bubba Watson, will not participate. They joined the rival LIV Golf tour, which disqualifies them from playing any PGA Tour events.
“They are somewhat kind of out of sight, out of mind,” Worthy said about LIV. “Their TV ratings aren’t great. You know, I think they probably came back and were around some of the guys that they were around when they played the tour regularly. And we’ll see where that where that goes in the future. But there are still so many great players on the PGA Tour, so many young up-and-coming players who I think are going to take the place of a lot of those guys that left. And we’re going to see a lot of those guys in New Orleans next week.”
Three of the top five finishers in Sunday’s Masters were LIV golfers, including Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka, who tied for second. As part of a reaction to the LIV tour, the PGA has designated some events as “elevated,” meaning the top players are required to play. But with the designation comes a purse that more than doubles.
For the Zurich, this year’s purse is $8.6 million. An elevated event is $20 million.
“We’re willing to contribute. Zurich is willing to contribute. We’re looking around some other places. You know, we have a plan. Yet to be determined is how much of that gap comes from us and how much of that gap comes from the PGA Tour. So, we’re putting our best package together. I think we’ll have something that’s pretty attractive.” Worthy said with a smile on his face.
Worthy said the tournament will likely find out late this summer if it will be an elevated event in 2024.
Some of the bigger names that will be a part of this year’s Zurich Classic field, with more to come, are as follows:
Patrick Cantlay – Xander Schauffele (2022 Zurich Classic Champions)
Collin Morikawa – Max Homa
Billy Horschel – Sam Burns
Matt Fitzpatrick – Alex Fitzpatrick
Sahith Theegala – Justin Suh
Zach Johnson – Steve Stricker
To purchase Zurich Classic tickets, click here.
