Jon Rahm will team with Ryan Palmer in 2019 Zurich Classic

Spaniard who played for Arizona State made European Ryder Cup team in his second year as a fulltime professional

NEW ORLEANS – Jon Rahm, ranked 11thin the world, will partner with veteran Ryan Palmer in this year’s Zurich Classic, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.

“Jon is one of the brightest young stars on the PGA TOUR,” said Worthy. “Known for his intensity and passion, he made the European Ryder Cup team in only his second year as a fulltime professional, which is a remarkable achievement,” added Worthy.

Rahm turned professional in 2016 out of Arizona State and won his first PGA TOUR title at the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open. He claimed another victory the next season at the 2018 Career Builder Challenge to vault him to second in the world golf rankings at the time.

In that short span, he also won three tournaments on the European Tour. He recorded four top-10 finishes in the FedExCup playoffs that concluded the 2017 season. Overall in his first full season on the TOUR, he recorded 11 top-10 finishes and won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award on the European Tour.

In 2018, he took fourth place in both the Masters and the PGA Championship. So far this season, he has posted seven top-10 finishes in 11 starts, including a tie for ninth in the Masters after shooting under par all four rounds.
On the final day of the 2018 Ryder Cup, he beat Tiger Woods in their singles match, 2 and 1.

Competing for Arizona State, he became the first player to twice win the Ben Hogan Award, given to the best collegiate golfer. He also won the Jack Nicklaus Award, given to the top Division I collegiate golfer and played on the 2014 World Cup team and the 2015 Palmer Cup squad.

During his collegiate career, he recorded 11 victories, second only to former Sun Devil Phil Mickelson. He won the 2016 individual Pac-12 title and was a three-time All-American. He also won the 2015 Mark McCormack Medal and the 2014 World Amateur Championship, breaking a record held by Jack Nicklaus. Overseas in his native Spain, he won the Spanish Amateur Championship back-to-back in 2014-15.

Ryan Palmer has won three times on the PGA TOUR. This season he has already recorded three top-10 finishes. Playing with fellow Texan Jordan Spieth, they led after the first round then finished fourth in the 2017 Zurich Classic, the first time the tournament was played in the team format.

Palmer also tied for fourth in the 2012 Zurich Classic. He took tenth in the 2011 Masters and tied for fifth in the 2014 PGA Championship.

He missed the fall portion of the 2016-17 season while his wife, Jennifer, underwent chemotherapy to treat Stage 2 breast cancer that was diagnosed in the summer of 2016. Upon his return to the PGA TOUR in 2018, he almost won the Farmers Insurance Open, losing in a playoff eventually won by Jason Day.

The Zurich Classic is the only team tournament on the PGA TOUR season. Since launching the team format two years ago, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans has drawn some of the highest ranking fields for any regular-season tournament on the PGA TOUR. In 2018, the tournament field included six of the top ten players in the world; all four reigning major champions; the U.S. Ryder Cup captain and six members of the U.S. team along with the European Ryder Cup captain with four of his co-captains and six players on the victorious European team.

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 $36 million to date for children’s charities in metro New Orleans and Baton Rouge. More information at http://www.forekidsfoundation.com.

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 22-28, 2019 at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. Purse for 2019 totals $7.3 million, with each member of the winning team earning $1,051,200.

Single-day grounds tickets are only $35 and weekly passes are $85. Single day tickets for the two most popular hospitality venues on the PGA TOUR start at $85 for Acme Oyster House and $185 for The Champions Club. Kids 17 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult holding a grounds ticket. Other choices of suite and specialty venue options are available by calling the Tournament Office at 504-342-3000 or online at www.zurichgolfclassic.com