Sports

Zurich Classic Picks, Props, Predictions: Betting Wyndham Clark, Haotong Li and Michael Thorbjornsen

By Brian Giuffra Sports Illustrated

Updated April 22, 2026 6:15 AM

We're back baby!

The SI Golf betting panel had two big cashes at the RBC Heritage last week. Inside Sports Network Tap in Birdie podcast host Brian Kirschner hit Ludvig Aberg +2900 (DraftKings) first-round lead, and yours truly, Minute Media VP of Betting Content Brian Giuffra, hit Matt Fitzpatrick +1800 (FanDuel) in the outright market.

Now we hit rock bottom for golf betting, the Zurich Classic, a team event that has some entertainment value, but little in the way of betting value.

The SI Golf betting panel features Giuffra, Kirschner, SI Betting insider Iain MacMillan, Betting analyst Brad Thomas, The Model Maniac Byron Lindeque and FanSided content director Cody Williams . Each Wednesday, we post our betting picks for outright and longshot winners, first-round leader, our favorite prop bet and a final score prediction.

As I said, Zurich isn't a great event to bet on. The teams play alternating rounds of fourball and foursomes, starting with the former. Alternate shot is fun to watch on Sunday. But handicapping this event is challenging because you really never know how teams will mesh – except when it was Rory/Lowry and Xander/Cantlay.

This year's biggest pairings are Fitzpatrick with his brother Alex and Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry. Not exactly a star-studded event. That should open it up a bit, but longshots are rare here – in the last seven years, +5000 were the longest odds to win.

Still, let's have some fun with an event that's actually a good idea, but probably needs some tweaks to pull in the bigger names. Here are our picks with explanations below the graphic. Let's keep the momentum rolling!

Outright

Iain MacMillan: Haotong Li/Jordan Smith +2200 (DraftKings)

Both golfers are also coming into this event in great form. Li was in the mix at the Masters until an abysmal final round, and Smith is coming into this week off a T16 finish at the RBC Heritage. They rank 57th and 61st on the PGA Tour in birdie percentage. Most teams have one player who ranks high in that stat and one player who ranks in the bottom 100. Li and Smith both can attack pins.

Brian Kirschner: Michael Thorbjornsen/Karl Vilips +2000 (DraftKings)

This is a fairly straightforward play, as these two are in solid form and have performed well at this event together in the past. I think Thor is cementing himself as one of the best players on tour without a win and Karl has shown he has what it takes after winning in Puerto Rico last year. Karl's Iron play has been very great and he is coming off a T33 in the elevated Heritage. Thor has excelled on TPC courses so he should be a good fit in Louisiana.

Brad Thomas: Sudarshan Yellamaraju/Ryan Gerard +1600 (FanDuel)

When handicapping this week, I wanted to bet on upside. I felt like the approach numbers from both Gerard and Yellamaraju give them a ton of upside. Basically, I'm banking on them hitting a bunch of greens and giving themselves a lot of birdie opportunities. Both rank inside the top 16 in SG: APP, with Gerard eighth and Yellamaraju 16th. They could be the Novak and Griffin combo we've been waiting for.

Cody Williams: Hayden Springer/Alex Smalley +4000 (Bet365)

Such an impossible event to bet on. My model this week is simpler than normal - simply looking for guys who are overall playing well and hoping it'll blend. Springer and Smalley are both Top 10 in the field in SG: Tee-to-Green over the last 24 rounds, and are in the Top 15 in Birdie or Better Gained Percentage. Putting could prove to be an issue, but the opportunities to score should be there for this pair to contend this week in New Orleans.

Brian Giuffra: Wyndham Clark/Taylor Moore +2200 (DraftKings)

Both of these guys pound the ball, which has certainly been a calling card of past winning teams. If they gain enough shots off the tee, perhaps that will take some pressure off the approach game, which has been streaky for both of them. Clark has a T10 and 3rd here. Moore was T4 twice. I think they'll score in the fourball format. Foursomes is always a bit of a crap shoot. Let's roll the dice.

Longshot

Iain MacMillan: Justin Lower/Chad Ramey +6800 (DraftKings)

Justin Lower already has two top-10 finishes at the Zurich Classic, while Ramey has posted three straight top-10 finishes, including a runner-up finish in 2024. The two players teamed up last season and finished in eighth place. Even at a team event, there's something to be said for course history, so if you're looking for a dark horse this week, consider Lower and Ramey at 68-1.

Brian Kirschner: Chandler Phillips/Carson Young +8000 (DraftKings)

Trying to find a longshot for this event is really slim pickings, but I am quite happy with this pair at 80/1. Phillips is coming off a T8 finish at the Valero Texas Open and has made six other cuts on Tour this year. He also has experience in this event with top 20s in his last two starts here. Young has contended on Tour and can pop easily. I like this duo to contend this week.

Brad Thomas: Billy Horschel/Tom Hoge +7000 (DraftKings)

This goes against my usual handicapping of targeting approach killers who rack up birdies. This is more of a vibes play. With Billy Horschel being a guy who has had a ton of success here, they're worth a flier at this price.

Cody Williams: Blades Brown/Luke Clanton +7000 (DraftKings)

This is probably ill-advised, but I'm just going to bet on raw talent here with a longshot on Brown and Clanton. The latter has been pretty abysmal this year, but we've also seen his peaks and flashes within the last year. As for Brown, he's been a tad inconsistent, but has popped in his own right. Who's to say they don't find lightning in a bottle together and contend?

Brian Giuffra: Kevin Streelman/Joel Dahmen +9600 (DraftKings)

Dahmen has struggled through three missed cuts in his last four events. He had two Top 10s earlier in the season and is still 32nd on Tour in Approach. He's also an accurate driver. So is Streelman. Streelman's also a great putter. Perhaps some of that will rub off on Dahmen. I also like the vibes of this duo. Don't break the bank on them, though.

First-Round Leader

Iain MacMillan: Beau Hossler/Sam Ryder +4900 (DraftKings)

Both Beau Hossler and Sam Ryder have thrived in the opening rounds of tournaments this season. Hossler is 11th on the PGA Tour in Round 1 scoring average at 69.00, and Ryder is 72nd at 70.29. Hopefully they can combine from a strong Round 1 on Thursday.

Brian Kirschner: Johnny Keefer/Michael Brennan +3200 (DraftKings)

This is a total boom or bust pairing that I think will be perfect for this format. Brennan is coming off two made cuts and a great OTT performances and Keefer shined at Houston with a T3. I think this electric duo can make a big impact in the Big Easy this week.

Brad Thomas: Tony Finau/Max Greyserman +3500 (FanDuel)

These guys are sickos in the first round. It feels like every week, one of them makes a run at the lead before bogeys get in the way. Both are more than capable of racking up birdies in bunches and posting a big number. The volatility is what makes this pairing special.

Cody Williams: Johnny Keefer/Michael Brennan +3200 (DraftKings)

This pair could win by five strokes or miss the cut by even more. But you have to love the upside that they offer. I love putting that potential for a monster week with these two together as a FRL look. It could be a rollercoaster from round-to-round, especially with alt shot in the mix, but if they can come out and put up a birdie fest in best ball, they'll have a real shot at coming out of the first 18 holes with the lead.

Brian Giuffra: Wyndham Clark/Taylor Moore +3100 (DraftKings)

If this duo is going to win, they're going to go deep in fourball. I'm hoping for a few eagles from them on day one.

Prop Bet

Iain MacMillan: Billy Horschell/Tom Hoge Top 10 +380 (DraftKings)

Billy Horschell has a strong history of competing at TPC Louisiana. He won this event back when it didn't have the team format in 2013 and then won it alongside Scott Piercy again in 2018. He has finished 13th or better, including a runner-up finish in 2022, in his last five starts here. He or Hoge haven't played well enough this season for me to bet on them to win, but I'll take a shot on them posting a top 10 finish at +380.

Brian Kirschner: Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen/Jacob Skov Olesen Top 20 +146 (DraftKings)

I finally won a bet in this market! Thank you, Scottie. I think this Danish pair can put together a solid week here. They are both above-average PGA Tour players and can use their national heritage to put together a good showing.

Brad Thomas: Michael Thorbjornsen/Karl Vilips Top 10 including ties +185 (FanDuel)

I built an "upside" model, one that tracks opportunities based on GIRs, approach play, and BoB. Thorbjornsen really carried them, but collectively it still gave them some promise. They were closer to being ranked first than 11th, which gives them value in the top 10 market.

Cody Williams: Andrew Putnam/Austin Smotherman Top 20 incl ties +138 (BetMGM)

Put simply, I like the way that Putnam and Smotherman pair in this event. Smotherman has been striking the ball almost as well as anyone in the sport this season, but the short game has hindered him at times. Putnam's also played well, but with more of an accuracy and short game display. I think that makes for a complementary pairing in an event like this.

Brian Giuffra: Matt McCarty/Mac Meissner Top 10 +245 (DraftKings)

I considered this duo in the outright market. McCarty was T24 at the Masters and T12 at RBC Heritage. Meissner made two straight cuts and was T18 at the Waste Management. They're solid off the tee and good putters. Neither has a history of success at this tournament, though they both have played once, which is at least a positive.

Winning score prediction

Iain MacMillan: -28
Brian Kirschner: -27
Brad Thomas: -30
Byron Lindeque:
Cody Williams: -30
Brian Giuffra: -27

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 6:00 AM.