Billy Horschel And Scott Piercy Win Zurich Classic

Team formats are a refreshing diversion from the typical 72-hole stroke play. On Sunday, close friends Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy posted a stout 5- under final round using the challenging alternate (foursomes) format to win the Zurich Classic by one shot.

GolfWorld’s Brian Wacker reports that Horschel initially wasn’t a fan of the alternate shot moving from the third to final round, but winning is still the ultimate deodorant.

“When I was first told they switched the format I was against it,” Billy Horschel said. “I said, ‘Why would we do that?’”

On one hand, it would eliminate the kind of fireworks that four-ball can deliver with birdies coming from everywhere. On Saturday while playing four-ball, nine teams shot 63 or better, including that of Horschel and Scott Piercy, who were one of two teams to tally a 61.

There was, of course, a reason behind the change.

“When I thought more about it I was like, ‘You know what? That’s (alternate shot) actually really good,’ ” Horschel continued. “Because the better players, better teams, obviously are going to rise on Sunday.”

Sure, there were a lot more birdies a day earlier, and Horschel and Piercy’s 67 was the lowest score of the final round. But golf is at its best when the best players in the world are under as much pressure as possible.

There’s also a certain poetry to watching one guy hit it to where the other guy can score from, like a perfectly delivered Steph Curry pass to a guy no one else saw open but him that leads to a bucket. It’s equally memorable when the reverse happens. (Who can forget that infamous pairing of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson by Hal Sutton at the 2004 Ryder Cup?)

“You just never really get into a rhythm,” Charl Schwartzel said. “Louis [Oosthuizen] came to me on No. 12, he said to me he’s only hit two iron shots for the whole day. I said to him, ‘Well, I’ve only hit two putts.’ So all of sudden it’s your turn to start hitting iron shots and putts, you don’t have a feel for the rhythm, the round, which makes it difficult.”

“The hard part about playing foursomes on the last day is you don’t really get into a rhythm and a feel for the golf course,” Schwartzel continued. “On the 13th hole was only the third time I putted, so I had no real feel for the greens. And similarly, only two iron shots [for him] by number 12. It just worked out that way.”

It also worked out just fine for Horschel and Piercy. So did another outside-the-box decision by the tournament, which again proved fascinating to watch down the stretch. But the performance of Horschel and Piercy and the symphony of shots between them was perhaps best summed up by two other guys trying to catch them.

“We didn’t lose it, we got beat,” Perez said. “They played phenomenal, so hats off to ‘em. They did what they were supposed to.”

Added Dufner: “I’ve never lost an alternate-shot match in any of the team matches, so it‘s a good setup for me. Alternate shot I always feel good. Trying to chase these guys down all day, they didn‘t lose a tee all day, and that‘s pretty tough in alternate shot.”