Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin (-27) are the standout leaders of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans after the third round. They delivered a magnificent card of 61 strokes in the fourball after showcasing how two players should complement each other to succeed in this format. Novak propelled the pair at the start, with five birdies on the first nine holes, and Griffin finished the job with four from the 10th to the 18th.
They are in a good position, but it’s far from over. They have a three-stroke lead over Jake Knapp and Capan III (-24) and the Japanese players Hisatsune and Kanaya (-24), while the Hojgaard brothers are at -23. A little further back is the ever-present shadow of Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry (-22). Rory carried the team with a sensational seven-birdie stretch.
As with any notable fourball day, there have been very good results at the TPC Louisiana. However, no one has managed to score below 60 strokes, something that happened twice on Thursday. The best round has been 60 by Knapp and Capan III, while there have been up to seven rounds of 61 strokes, including the leaders and the Irish. But of course, the foursomes, the most difficult and tight format, are yet to be played, so many things can still happen, as this is where the most differences are made.
Novak’s achievement is commendable. He comes from losing in the first playoff hole against Justin Thomas at the RBC Heritage and is once again in the fight to win. It is the fourth week in 2025 that he is in the featured match. No one is knocking on the door with more strength and conviction than the American golfer. We’ll see if tomorrow is the decisive day. He is earning it.
All eyes are on McIlroy and Lowry. It’s true they are far behind and have several pairs in between, but if there’s any duo that has already shown they can do very well in alternate shot, it’s them. The benchmark could be the -9 achieved last year in the final round by Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer, an exceptional result that allowed them to enter the playoff with McIlroy and Lowry coming from far behind. That’s the direction the Irish should aim for to have a chance.
Of the top ten pairs in the tournament, only Jake Knapp knows the taste of victory. Therefore, a challenging day is expected for all those at the top.
