Zurich Classic of New Orleans and Chevron Championship picks
Will Doctor brings you the sharpest golf picks and information for this weeks Zurich Classic and Chevron Championship. Will Doctor’s Golf Preview Podcast, recorded from the Nicholas Course at Carlton Woods, dives deep into betting picks and performance analysis for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the Chevron Championship, and briefly, the Veritex Bank Championship. Opening with a recap of the RBC Heritage, Doctor praises Justin Thomas for winning his 16th PGA Tour title after a playoff with Andrew Novak. Thomas posted a 61 in round one and closed with a bogey-free 68. Novak, described as the American Jon Rahm, impressed with elite short game and iron play, though he missed key putts, notably a 10-footer on the 13th. Doctor criticizes himself for failing to include Novak in his bets, noting Novak’s three final group appearances and five top-15 finishes in 2025. The podcast reflects on several betting losses, including missing JT’s surge and Novak’s rise. The card was down 6.7 units, adding to an overall deficit of 81.2 units for the season.
Scottie Scheffler’s T8 finish was dissected, focusing on a critical double bogey on 15 caused by a tricky lie in the waste area. Despite superb ball-striking, putting lapses limited his contention. Daniel Berger’s T3 finish came with elite ball-striking but poor putting early in the week. Other near-miss bets included JT Poston (T11), Sungjae Im losing the top Asian bet to Siwoo Kim, and Ryan Gerard’s bogey on 18, which destroyed a top 20 ticket. Garrick Higgo’s win at Corrales Punta Cana, his second PGA Tour victory, was a notable miss for Will, who lamented overlooking Higgo despite strong form in previous starts.
For the Zurich Classic, two outright bets are offered. Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin at 28/1 are highlighted for elite ball-striking and top-tier putting. Griffin’s form shows recent putting struggles, but his strong Bermuda putting history is encouraging. Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge, also at 28/1, are touted for their pairing of elite putting and solid recent results. Horschel’s Zurich history includes two wins and a second-place finish, while Hoge has four straight T18 finishes with resurgent driving accuracy. A top 20 bet on Nico Echavarria and Max Greyserman at +130 is based on their elite Bermuda putting and last year’s T4 result. Their recent ball-striking is a concern, but their putting could carry them into the top 20 if they strike it average.
Doctor explores other pairings but passes on Carl Yuan and Michael Thorbjornsen due to inconsistency and on Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo due to Velo’s below-average stats. At the Chevron Championship, hosted again at the Nicholas Course, the course demands power and precision, favoring long hitters due to tight driving lanes and potentially soft greens. Nelly Korda is picked to win at 9/1. She won here in 2024 and continues to be elite across all metrics, especially improving putting. Ingrid Lindblad is the value pick, taken at 70/1 to win and 4/1 to finish top 10. She recently won in just her third LPGA start and ranks high in driving, approach, and putting stats, although her short game remains untested at this venue.
Finally, Doctor previews his visit to the Veritex Bank Championship, with plans to gather insights on-site and update picks via social media. He teases future episodes from the Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch and the Truest Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club. The podcast closes with a promo code for picks at pregame.com and a strong focus on preparing for the upcoming stretch of the season.
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