Bob MacIntyre and Martin Laird face stiff task in Zurich Classic

Bob MacIntyre and Martin Laird face stiff competition in their bid to deliver Scottish success in this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Bob MacIntyre and Martin Laird are teaming up in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Picture: Bounce Sport Management

The tartan twosome are joining forces in the event for the first time after becoming friendly through playing practice rounds together on the PGA Tour over the past couple of seasons.

It is MacIntyre’s debut in the event, which has been staged as a two-man team format since 2017 and is the only official FedExCup event on the PGA Tour schedule that is played as a team format.

Led by top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, five of the world’s top-10 players are in the field for the latest edition at TPC Louisiana.

They also include world No 2 Collin Morikawa and fifth-ranked Viktor Hovland as the American-Norwegian combination become the first pair of top-five players to team up in the tournament.

Scheffler is making his first appearance since becoming the new Masters champion, having made it four wins in just six starts with his recent victory at Augusta National.

The 25-year-old joins forces with Ryan Palmer, who landed the title with Spaniard Jon Rahm in 2019.

Australian duo Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman are the defending champions this week, which sees European Ryder Cup duo Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose being reunited.

In-form Shane Lowry is teaming up with Ian Poulter, while Tommy Fleetwood and Sergio Garcia are also forming an all-European challenge.

Nine-time PGA Tour winner Jay Haas is making his 799th start on the US circuit and first in over a decade as he links up with his son, Bill.

The last time a father-son duo made the cut in the same PGA Tour event was at the 2018 RSM Classic, with Davis Love III and Dru Love achieving that feat.

The event involves fourballs for the first and third rounds, with foursomes on the other two days.

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