Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson to team up again for Zurich Classic

Top Olympic medalists in 2016 have played twice together in Zurich Classic

NEW ORLEANS – Justin Rose, who won the individual Zurich Classic title in 2015, will team again with Henrik Stenson for the third time in the tournament, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.

“Both of these players have won major titles in their careers and were the first to commit as a team when we moved to our new format in 2017,” said Worthy. “They have been an extremely successful Ryder Cup partnership, and that history should bode well for their chances in New Orleans,” added Worthy.

Rose won the 2016 Olympic gold medal over Stenson, who took silver in that year’s competition. Together they captured both their team matches in the 2018 Ryder Cup won decisively by the Europeans.

Rose and Stenson each have compiled an impressive record beyond their Olympic success in 2016. In addition to the Zurich Classic, Rose won the U.S. Open in 2013 and the FedEx Cup in 2018. Stenson won the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon in 2016 just prior to his success at the Summer Olympics that year and won his FedExCup in 2013.

Both have represented Europe in the Ryder Cup five times. They have been paired together in Ryder Cup competition eight times, tied for fourth all-time among the European teams. Their combined record as a team is 6-2-0.

Rose was ranked number one in the world for 13 weeks in 2018 and 2019. He was a fixture in the world’s top 10 eight out of nine years from 2012 to 2019.

He has won ten times on the PGA TOUR, most recently the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open. He has claimed another 12 international victories. Two of his PGA Tour titles were World Golf Championships, including the 2018 WGC-HSBC Champions, when he came back from eight shots behind on the final day to win with a closing round of 67.

His best finish this season was a tie for 7th in the Masters, when he led after the first two days of play.

He ranks seventh in all-time winnings on the PGA TOUR with more than $55 million. He has posted 101 top-10 finishes in 361 tournaments he has played on the PGA Tour since 1998.

In addition to qualifying for the Ryder Cup five times, he has also made three World Cup teams, two Seve Cup squads and at age 17 played in the Walker Cup, becoming the youngest player in that event’s history.

He pitched in at the last hole to finish tied for fourth and win the Silver Medal as leading amateur in the 1998 Open Championship. He turned professional the next day.

Stenson has won six times on the PGA TOUR, including a World Golf Championship title, The Players Championship and the 2013 TOUR Championship to take the FedExCup that season. He has also claimed 13 international titles.

In 2018 he tied for second in the WGC-HSBC Champions that Justin Rose won and earned a fourth in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He also finished fifth in the Masters, tied for sixth in the U.S. Open and won all three of his matches in the Ryder Cup.

In addition to playing on five Ryder Cup teams, he also made four World Cup teams and three Royal Trophy squads.

Rose and Stenson tied for 19th in the 2018 Zurich Classic, won by Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy.

The Zurich Classic field so far includes half of the top 10 ranked players in the world.

Rose and Stenson join several high profile teams previously announced to play the 2021 Zurich Classic including:
· Defending champion Jon Rahm, ranked 3rd in the world, with Ryan Palmer, ranked 28th.
· Collin Morikawa, ranked 4th in the world, with Matthew Wolff, ranked 25th.
· Xander Schauffele, ranked 5th in the world, with Patrick Cantlay, ranked 10th.
· Tyrrell Hatton, ranked 8th in the world, with fellow Englishman and former Master winner Danny Willett.
· Billy Horschel, ranked 18th in the world, with former LSU All-American Sam Burns.
· Tony Finau, ranked 12th 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.