Fans showing up to catch the action Sunday at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans found a familiar face shadowing the leaders.
Saints tight end Taysom Hill was one of the honorary observers walking inside the ropes with the final paring of Zac Blair/Patrick Fishburn and Luke List/Henrik Norlander.
Hill, Blair and Fishburn all attended BYU together. Hill said he and Fishburn have been frequent golf playing partners over the yeaars.
Unfortunately for the BYU krewe, Hill’s presence couldn’t help push Blair and Fishburn over the goal line. They finished where they started at 23-under par after an even-par 72 that included double bogeys on the par-3 ninth and par-3 17th holes. They wound up in a tie for fourth place, two strokes out of the playoff won by Rory McIlroy/Shane Lowry over Chad Ramey/Martin Trainer.
The next team activities for Saints veterans like Hill are OTAs, May 21-23.
Taylor the Tiger
Former LSU golfer Ben Taylor and partner Sean O’Hair didn’t have the final round they wanted, but the ex-Tiger still described it as an enjoyable week overall to be back in Louisiana.
“This week was super fun,” said Taylor after a 2-over par 74 Sunday that left their team in 37th place at 15 under 273. “I’ve known Sean for a couple of years. We have the same agent. He has a lot of experience. It’s just a shame we weren’t able to score today like we have been.”
A native of London, Taylor made the clinching putt in LSU’s match play victory over Southern California to win the 2015 NCAA championship. He said he still gets some appreciation from Tiger fans as he goes around the TPC Louisiana course.
“Every year it’s about half of what it was the year before,” Taylor said. “That was nine years ago. It’s starting to show. But it’s fun to be back here. And it’s nice to know people haven’t completely forgotten.”
Former winners
The reigning Zurich Classic champions Nick Hardy and Davis Riley shot a 70 Sunday to tie for 28th at 17 under 271. The 2022 winning team of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele also shot 70 to tie for 23rd at 18 under 270.
Ryan Palmer, who won here in 2019 with Jon Rahm, tied for 19th with 2023 Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson at 19 under 269.
Lagniappe
Winning the Zurich Classic earns McIlroy and Lowry $1.268 million each. … They also each get 400 FedEx Cup points that count toward the PGA Tour’s season-long championship, a two-year exemption from qualifying and entry into the season’s final three signature events, starting in two weeks with the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina. … The PGA Tour moves on to the CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament next week in McKinney, Texas, just outside Dallas.
The last word
“He’s getting old, but he still moves the needle.”
- Lowry on the standing ovation he and McIlroy got Saturday night when dining at Arnaud’s restaurant
Sportswriter Sheldon Mickles contributed to this report.