Sunday Nick Hardy & Davis Riley stormed up the leaderboard in the final round to win the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Hardy and Riley had started the day three shots off the pace, but their birdie-filled and bogey-free final round saw them finish with a tournament record score of 30-under-par for the week.
The only team-based tournament on the PGA Tour schedule, the Zurich Classic uses a four-ball (best-ball) format in the first and third rounds and foursomes (alternate shot) in the second and final rounds. But the more difficult format had no effect on Hardy and Riley. Particularly on the back nine. The pair went on a 7-under 65 bogey-free birdie fest that included four birdies over their last six holes.
“I was pretty nervous coming down the stretch. It’s never easy to win. … Our attitude all week was pressing forward and trying to execute the best possible shot at the moment.”
Davis Riley
The win gives them both their first PGA Tour win, an alligator skin championship belt, Mardi Gras-style bead necklaces and checks for $1.24 million. And most importantly… a two-year exemption for winning the PGA Tour’s only team event.
“I don’t remember either of us getting mad over a shot. That was huge for us. We handled our emotions so well. Now that I look back, I think that was the biggest key.”
Nick Hardy
Canadians Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor emerged as the closest competitors in the tournament, finishing two shots behind the leader with a total score of 28 under. In their final round, they played exceptionally well, scoring nine-under with a remarkable 63, including an impressive run of seven consecutive birdies at one point.
Wyndham Clark and Beau Hossler, who finished each of the first three rounds atop the leaderboard and opened the final round with a one-stroke lead, made their first three bogeys of the tournament – two on their final three holes – and closed with a one-under 71 to finish third, three shots back.
Defending champions Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele – who had set the previous course record last year – made eight birdies before their second bogey of the day on 18 left them tied for fourth with Matthew NeSmith and Taylor Moore at 26 under.
Keith Mitchell and South Korea’s Sungjae Im, who began the day one shot off the lead, posted a 72 and finished sixth at 25 under.