2025 Zurich Classic Recap

Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak Win 2025 Zurich Classic

Avondale, LA – Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin (-28) triumphed at the 2025 Zurich Classic, the PGA Tour’s lone team format event of the season. It was the first career victory on the PGA Tour for both players. Both players are bona fide tour pros who have been in excellent form throughout the season. Novak came up just short last week at Harbor Town, losing to JT in a playoff.

Brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard finished runner-up at -27. The up-and-coming Danes have each won on the DP World Tour but have yet to get into the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour. Both will be Ryder Cup hopefuls in 2026 and beyond and can be considered a threat to win any tournament they enter.

Jake Knapp and Frankie Capan III finished in solo third (-26) after Capan rinsed his tee shot on the par 3 17th, leading to bogey. Knapp is already a winner on the PGA Tour but Capan is a young player in his first season on the PGA Tour. Despite his string of poor finishes lately, he displayed his quality this week and why many think he’ll become a winner on the big tour before long.

The event is sandwiched between majors and signature events and doesn’t have the strongest field or boast the most interesting golf course but always offers viewers something exciting. This year was no exception, with three teams vying for the title right up to the end.

Others who had notable finishes included defending champions and newly minted winner of the Grand Slam Rory McIlroy and his good friend Shane Lowry (T12, -22); former Stanford players and PGA Tour newcomers Michael Thorbjornsen and Karl Vilips (T4, -25); and first round leaders and young players Kevin Velo and Isaiah Salinda (T8, -24).

Not all of the top players in the field fared well this week, however. Among the teams to miss the cut were Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark and Taylor Moore, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, and Akshay Bhatia and Carson Young.

Next week, the PGA Tour heads to Texas and TPC Craig Ranch for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Taylor Pendrith is the defending champion there and will compete against a field that includes Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Sungjae Im, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.

Ben Griffin What’s In The Bag

Driver: PING G430 MAX 10K 9° (UST Mamiya Lin-Q Proto V1 7 TX)

3 Wood: TaylorMade Qi10 15° (UST Mamiya Lin-Q Proto V1 8 TX)

Irons: Mizuno JPX 923 3, Mizuno Pro S3 4-P(True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100)

Wedges: Mizuno Pro T1 50°, 56°-10, TaylorMade MG4 60°-SB (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Concept 2 Tour Rat Prototype

Andrew Novak What’s In The Bag

Driver: PING G440 LST 7.5° (Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 75 TX)

3 Wood: PING G440 MAX 15° (Project X HZRDUS Black 80 TX)

5 Wood: PING G440 MAX 19° (Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 85 TX)

Irons: Srixon ZX7 Mk II 4-6, Srixon Z-Forged II 7-P (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100)

Wedges: Cleveland RTZ 50°, 54°, 60° (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400)

Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Milled Seven T S

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Dylan Thaemert

Contributor at Plugged In Golf

Dylan Thaemert is a clinical mental health therapist living in the Twin Cities area. He is passionate about travel, the arts, and is always searching for ways to increase his knowledge of the game of golf.

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