Bubba Watson teaming with Scottie Scheffler at 2021 Zurich Classic

NEW ORLEANS — Bubba Watson, two-time Masters champion and the 2011 winner of the Zurich Classic, will team with 2020 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Scottie Scheffler, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.

“Bubba is a fan favorite everywhere, especially in New Orleans, the tournament nearest his home,” said Worthy. “Scottie is following up a great Rookie of the Year season with consistently good play,” Worthy added.

Watson has won 12 times on the PGA TOUR, including three tournaments in the 2018-19 season—the Genesis Open, World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play and the Travelers Championship, which he won for the third time in his career.

So far this season, he has posted three top-10 finishes, most recently a tie for ninth at the World Golf Classic Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play won by Billy Horschel.

He ranks 14th in all-time TOUR winnings with more than $46 million in prize money. Lifetime, he has scored 14 second-place finishes, six thirds and 71 top-tens in the 346 PGA Tour events he has played.

In addition to his win at the Zurich Classic in 2011, he also finished fifth in the 2007 tournament and tied for 15th in 2013. His tie for fifth with J. B. Holmes in the 2017 event was his best finish in the 2016-17 season.

His game seems to be made for Augusta National. He won the Masters in 2012 and 2014, finished tied for 12th in 2019 and tied for fifth in 2018. In other majors, he tied for fifth in the 2007 U.S. Open, and lost a three-way, three-hole playoff to Martin Kaymer in the 2010 PGA Championship.

He has played on two President’s Cup teams and four Ryder Cup teams.

In 2015, he donated $100,000 to assist with recovery efforts after the devastating floods in Louisiana. His longtime caddy, Ted Scott, is from the Lafayette area. Watson is part owner of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, and opened a candy store in Pensacola called “Bubbas’s Sweet Shop” where his mom Molly sometimes works.

Scottie Schleffer battled Billy Horschel down to the penultimate hole in the finals of the WCG-Dell Match Play in March, losing 2 and 1. He has also picked up a fifth at the WGC-Workday Championship and a tie for seventh at the Waste Management Phoenix Open this season.

In only his second full season on the PGA Tour, he has rolled up 10 top-10 finishes in just 48 starts. He was named 2020 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year after finishing fifth in FedExCup points for the season and has shot up to 22nd in the world rankings.

He was one of only two rookies to advance to the Tour Championship last year and took fifth in the tournament. He also finished third twice in his debut season and tied for fourth in consecutive tournaments at the PGA Championship and The Northern Trust.

Born and raised in Dallas, he won three straight individual state titles, only the second player after Jordan Spieth to accomplish that feat.

He played collegiately for the University of Texas on a team that included three other future PGA Tour golfers, Beau Hossler, Kramer Hickok and Doug Ghim. He was low amateur at the 2017 U.S. Open with his sister Carrie, who played for Texas A&M, on his bag.

He also made the 2017 Walker Cup team that included Texas teammate Ghim, Cameron Champ, Collin Morikawa, Doc Redman and Will Zalatoris, all of whom now play on the PGA Tour. The U.S. team that year won by a score of 19-7.

The 2021 Zurich Classic already has several high profile teams formally committed, including:
· Defending champion Jon Rahm, ranked 3rd in the world, with Ryan Palmer, ranked 26th.
· Collin Morikawa, ranked 4th in the world, with Matthew Wolff, ranked 23rd.
· Billy Horschel, ranked 17th in the world, with former LSU All-American Sam Burns.
· Tony Finau, ranked 13th in the world with Cameron Champ.

The Zurich Classic is the only team tournament on the PGA TOUR season. Since launching the team format in 2017, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans has drawn some of the highest ranking fields for any regular-season tournament on the PGA TOUR.

About Fore!Kids Foundation:

Since 1958, the Fore!Kids Foundation has raised money to fund children’s service organizations through golf events like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, The Holiday Auction Fore!Kids and several charitable golf tournaments. As a 501(c)(3) corporation, Fore!Kids has helped to raise more than $40 million to date for children’s charities in metro New Orleans and Baton Rouge. More information at http://www.forekidsfoundation.com.

Despite the cancellation of the 2020 tournament, Zurich Insurance donated funds to the Fore!Kids Foundation to make $1.5 million in contributions to area non-profits, the same amount as the year before.

About the Zurich Classic of New Orleans:

Televised in more than 224 countries and territories, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans generates a significant economic impact on the city of New Orleans and the entire state of Louisiana. Independent research has shown that the tournament generates spending of more than $40 million within the local economy and garners $33 million in positive national and international media exposure for both the city and state throughout the year beyond the four days of competition.

The tournament will be played April 19-25, 2021 at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. Purse for 2021 totals $7.4 million, with each member of the winning team earning $1,069,300.
Day-specific grounds tickets are only $35. In addition, the Best of the Zurich Class Pass offers a variety of dishes from some of New Orleans most famous restaurants at four locations across the TPC course. Additional ticket options are available by calling the Tournament Office at 504-342-3000 or online at www.zurichgolfclassic.com.