AVONDALE, La. – Par won’t be at a premium this week. Players will need to go low to keep up at the Zurich Classic.
That’s especially true for the opening round, when the field will play under lift, clean and place conditions after 1.4 inches of rain soaked the area Wednesday.
A tornado warning was issued here, forcing those in the media center to evacuate, and the pro-am was delayed by several hours. Participants played only nine holes.
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TPC Louisiana was the 11th-easiest course on Tour last year, averaging more than a stroke under par (70.998). The winning score has been at least 15 under each of the past three years, including Jason Dufner’s course-record 19-under 269 (defeated Ernie Els on second playoff hole) in 2012.
Though it was cool and breezy as the morning wave got underway at the Zurich, temperatures are expected to rise to a high of 76 degrees, with only a 20-percent chance of rain. Weather doesn’t figure to pose an issue the rest of the week.