Sunday Drama Unfolds at TPC Louisiana

AVONDALE, La. — Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin survived the pressure of a final-round lead and challenging alternate-shot format to capture the 2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, finishing at 28-under par after a steady 1-under 71 on Sunday.

The victory marks the first PGA Tour win for both players, with Novak finally breaking through after a pair of top-three finishes this month, including a heartbreaking playoff loss to Justin Thomas just last week at the RBC Heritage.

The turning point came at the par-3 17th hole, where Griffin drained a clutch 35-foot birdie putt that gave the duo a two-shot cushion heading to the final hole. The moment was especially dramatic considering Novak’s tee shot had narrowly avoided the water, stopping just on the edge and allowing his partner the opportunity to make the tournament-defining putt.

$1.3 Million Each and Valuable FedEx Cup Points

The winners will each receive $1,329,400 in prize money from the tournament’s $9.2 million purse. Additionally, both Novak and Griffin earn 400 FedEx Cup points apiece, providing a significant boost to their standing in the season-long race.

The runner-up Danish twins, Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard, will split $1,085,600 ($542,800 each) and receive 162.5 FedEx Cup points per player. Unlike standard PGA Tour events, the Zurich Classic’s team format divides the standard points distribution in half for each player.

Defending Champs Fade Late

Masters champion Rory McIlroy and teammate Shane Lowry, the defending champions, were firmly in contention through 12 holes before their chances unraveled with three late bogeys. The pivotal moment came at the par-4 13th, where both players mishit chips before McIlroy missed a par putt from just inside 11 feet.

Despite falling to 12th place and finishing six shots behind, the Irish duo received tremendous support from the gallery on the 18th hole. McIlroy acknowledged fans with several waves before Lowry made a crowd-pleasing birdie putt to close their round, with McIlroy playfully retrieving the ball and flipping it into the water. Their 12th-place finish earned them each $92,460 and 38 FedEx Cup points.

Twins’ Near Miss

Danish identical twins Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard came tantalizingly close to their first PGA Tour victories, finishing alone in second after a final-round 68. They pulled within one stroke of the lead when Nicolai made a spectacular 42-foot birdie putt on the par-3 14th, and Rasmus nearly tied things up on the 16th with a birdie attempt that stopped on the edge of the hole.

Jake Knapp and Frankie Capan III briefly caught the leaders during the final round but fell back when Capan pulled his tee shot into the water on the 17th hole. Meanwhile, Thursday’s record-setters Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo, who led after each of the first two days, finished with a 71 to tie for eighth at 24-under, earning each player $163,300 and 54 FedEx Cup points.

Play was delayed by weather for just over 90 minutes with the leaders on the eighth hole, adding another challenge to an already tense final round at the PGA Tour’s only team event.