This special ingredient could determine the Zurich Classic of New Orleans winner

AVONDALE, La. – Among the many elements making the Zurich Classic of New Orleans’ team format so distinctive is an intangible not usually present at individual stroke-play events on the PGA TOUR.

Chemistry.

With 80 two-man teams to start the week, the dynamic between partners can be a determining factor on which team holds up the new Fleur-de-lis crystal trophy after the final putt drops Sunday at TPC Louisiana.

“I think chemistry helps,” said Billy Horschel, the defending champion along with teammate Scott Piercy. “Do you need it to play good team golf? No. But I think if you do have a good strong chemistry with somebody and get along and there’s a good mojo between you two, I think it can only enhance the teamwork-type deal...we all want to play great for our teammates.”

That’s especially true on Friday and Sunday when Foursomes are played in the second and final rounds. Under the alternate-shot format, no player wants to leave his partner in a bad spot by hitting a poor drive. And certainly no player wants to miss a short birdie attempt after his partner just stuck an approach inside 5 feet.

Without the right chemistry, without confidence in each other, a partnership can be strained if players are constantly having to bail out each other.

Although they’ve yet to win, the tandem of Kevin Kisner-Scott Brown has played about as well as any since the team format was instituted in 2017. They lost in a playoff two years ago to Cameron Smith-Jonas Blixt, and last year were the 54-hole leaders before stumbling to a 77 in the final round. In their previous seven rounds before that, they were 47 under.

It helps that they’ve known each other for 25-plus years. They were traveling roommates when starting their pro careers on the mini-tours and then the Web.com Tour. They’re practice partners in the off-season back home in Aiken, South Carolina, and they also spend plenty of time together off the course – or, as Brown described, “We hang out all the time.”

That chemistry is one of the primary reasons they entered Thursday’s first round of Four-balls as one of the favorites.

“Tons of camaraderie,” Kisner explained. "That helps out there when you’re trying to win a tournament or just from a teammate or partnership. It’s nice to know each other’s games so well.”

Added Brown: “More so than anything, the bad shots don’t make us very upset at each other because we’ve seen each other’s bad shots on an everyday basis when we’re at home. We just kind of go out there and do our things like we do at home.”

As for the defending champs, Piercy was born and raised in Las Vegas and attended college in San Diego; Horschel, meanwhile, is a Florida native. While they didn’t grown up together like Brown and Kisner did, they have become close friends since turning pro.

Piercy didn’t play the Zurich Classic in 2017, while Horschel partnered with fellow University of Florida alum Matt Every and missed the cut. When Piercy put Zurich on his 2018 schedule, they decided to hook up.

Their chemistry strikes a perfect balance – the emotional, talkative Horschel and the laid-back casual vibes of Piercy. It even extends to TPC Louisiana.

Horschel loves the course, having won in 2013 when the Zurich Classic was an individual stroke-play event. Piercy, meanwhile, had missed the cut six times in his eight starts prior to last season. But now that he’s part of a team, he has a much more positive outlook since he can avoid some of the shots that have previously given him trouble.

“I’ll say as an individual stroke-play event, this hasn’t been my favorite course,” Piercy said. “But a lot of the shots that I haven’t liked, Billy hits – and they’re mainly on odd holes.

“For me, the chemistry that I feel from Billy’s vibe here, because he likes it so much, I’ll say that it picks me up and it makes me feel good.”

Said Horschel: “I love being here. I have good vibes whenever I step on this golf course.”

Added Piercy: “He’s riding cloud 9 around this place. He loves it. So it’s nice to get on that cloud with him.”

While some teams have established chemistry, others are trying to build chemistry. In fact, that’s one of the big goals this week for International Team Captain Ernie Els. Not only is he playing with fellow South African (and assistant captain) Trevor Immelman, Els had a hand in determining some of the teams involving players who may be on his 12-man roster for the Presidents Cup in Australia this December.

Not included the Els-Immelman tandem, there are 13 teams in which both players represent International Team countries. Els hopes whatever chemistry is developed by some of those teams this week at TPC Louisiana will carry over for the rest of the year.

Getting accustomed to the Foursomes and Four-balls formats is also key to that chemistry building. At the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National, the International Team trailed 14-1/2 to 3-1/2 after the completion of all Foursomes and Four-ball sessions, as the Americans nearly clinched victory prior to Sunday’s Singles. The International Team had a 7-1/2 to 4-1/2 advantage on a final day in which the outcome essentially was already determined.

“We cannot win the Cup if we don’t play these disciplines very well,” Els said. “Foursomes and Four-ball is very important to winning the Presidents Cup in December.

“Now, saying that, not all our players are here. We’re trying out some selections. Some of the guys just want to play together...we’ll see how it goes. We’ve got another plan when we get to December.”

That plan, no doubt, will rely heavily on the chemistry built this week.