DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Ryan Palmer and Jon Rahm shot 26-under-par 262 in 2019 to defeat Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia by three shots.

COURSE: TPC Louisiana, in New Orleans, opened in 2004 and was designed by renowned course architect Pete Dye in consultation with Steve Elkington and Kelly Gibson. It has hosted this event every year since 2006 and will play to 6,713 metres (par-72) this week. The course features over 100 bunkers, five ponds and a number of interesting short par-4s. One of the key holes this week will be the par-5 18th, where water is in play for the entire right side of the hole.

PRIZEMONEY: US$7,400,000.

RELATED: So-called expert golf tips for this week

PLAYERS TO WATCH …

Defending champions Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer are both in good form individually, highlighted by the former’s share of fifth at Augusta two weeks ago and Palmer’s long stretch of weekend action.

Rahm and Palmer are also in good match-play form, with Rahm finishing T5th and Palmer 17th at the WGC Match Play at the end of March.

The unlikely pairing came to fruition when both players couldn’t team up with their past partners – Rahm with Wesley Bryan and Palmer with Jordan Spieth – and found success through their work tee-to-green and hot putters.

RIGHT: Rahm and Palmer won the most recent staging of this event in 2019. PHOTO: Rob Carr/Getty Images.

World Cup of Golf partners Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman join forces once again, as the latter makes his first appearance in this event.

Smith, of course, won the inaugural staging of the Zurich Classic when it became a team event in 2017. The Queenslander returns to TPC Louisiana in solid form, too, having posted back-to-back top-10s on the PGA Tour, where he hasn’t finished outside the top-20 since missing the cut at Torrey Pines in January.

Leishman, meanwhile, arrives off the back of his T5th at Augusta and will be eager to reunite with his good mate.

72-HOLE RECORD: Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt defeated Scott Brown and Kevin Kisner in a play-off after both teams reached 27-under-par 261 in 2017.

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: Cameron Smith (partnering Sweden’s Jonas Blix in 2017).

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Aaron Baddeley (partnering Roger Sloan), Greg Chalmers (partnering Cameron Percy), Matt Jones (partnering J.J. Spaun), Marc Leishman (partnering Cameron Smith), Cameron Percy (partnering Greg Chalmers), Cameron Smith (partnering Marc Leishman),

TV TIMES*

Round 1: Friday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 5:30am – 8:30am)
Round 2: Saturday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 5:30am – 8:30am)
Round 3: Sunday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 3am – 8am)
Round 4: Monday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 3am – 8am)

*AEST, check local guides