Day set for Rose, Fowler battle at the Zurich Classic
World number one Jason Day headlines a strong field for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans starting on Thursday.
The Australian has enjoyed an excellent start to the year, winning two of the eight tournaments he has played.
But Day will have plenty of competition if he is to add to that tally at the TPC of Louisiana.
Defending champion Justin Rose and world number five Rickie Fowler are also part of a solid field.
ROSE ENJOYS NEW ORLEANS
The Englishman has in particular loved featuring at the PGA Tour event, and he claimed the title last year. Rose finished a stroke clear of Cameron Tringale for what was his seventh – and most recent – win on the tour. He was tied for eighth in 2014, highlighting how much he has enjoyed this tournament.
GOOD SCORES EXPECTED
Birdies will be the order of the day, with good scoring needed to win the event. Rose (22 under), Noh Seung-yul (19), Billy Horschel (20) and Jason Dufner (19) have all needed good scores to clinch the title. Nice weather is also expected, although a thunderstorm is forecast for Sunday.
Hazards are REAL @Zurich_Classic … pic.twitter.com/8BCSam043Y
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 26, 2016
FORM CRUCIAL
With the U.S. Open just weeks away, this shapes as a huge chance for players to get their games into order ahead of the trip to Oakmont. Day, Rose and particularly Fowler, who missed the cut at the Masters, will be eager for good displays.
ROSE STORMS HOME
Rose needed a late surge to win the title ahead of Tringale last year. He birdied his final two holes to close with a six-under 66 and a one-shot victory.
BIRDIES A MUST
Bubba Watson took out the 2011 event with a score of 15 under and that is the lowest to win the tournament in the past six years.
DAY READY TO RESPOND
Day produced an eight-over 79 in the third round of the RBC Heritage, but believes he knows what went wrong.
“The process that I go through each pre-shot routine wasn’t as mentally sharp as it has been at the start of the year,” he said, via Golf Channel.
“I was thinking about other things rather than going through my normal process.”
