Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak earn $1.3m each and 400 Fedexcup points with first PGA Tour wins.

Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak delivered a dazzling finish to claim their first PGA Tour titles at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, pocketing $1.3 million each and 400 FedExCup points.

At a buzzing TPC Louisiana — where the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival set the city’s pulse racing — it was fitting that victory required a touch of improvisation. Griffin seized his moment on the par-3 17th, sinking a stunning 35-foot birdie from off the green, the definitive strike that propelled the duo to a one-shot triumph at 28-under-par 260.

Their victory was a blend of precision and grit. No. 17 was statistically the tournament’s toughest hole, but Griffin’s giant-slaying birdie ensured their march to the title. It also marked a major leap forward for both players, securing them exemptions into the upcoming PGA Championship and the remaining 2025 Signature Events, as well as spots in the 2026 Sentry Tournament of Champions and THE PLAYERS Championship.

Pre-tournament odds reflected the pair’s potential. At +2200 on FanDuel, Griffin and Novak were considered among the dark horses, but few expected them to dominate as they did, leading by three shots after Saturday’s better-ball round. Sunday’s final round — featuring the tougher alternate-shot format — tested their nerve. Their one-under-par 71 tied the day’s worst score among the top 10 finishers but proved just enough.

Hot on their heels were Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard, the Danish twins who birdied their final hole to close at 27-under 261, securing solo second and a $542,800 payday each. They had entered the tournament at +2500 odds and made a thrilling late charge.

Meanwhile, Jake Knapp and Frankie Capan III finished third at 26-under. Longshots at +9000 before the event, their spirited run fell just short but earned them $355,350 each.

Among the headline teams, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, last year’s winners and heavy favourites at +360, finished a distant tie for 12th. Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, the second-shortest favourites at +1400, failed even to make the weekend cut.

There were fireworks earlier in the tournament, too. Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo, virtually unknowns at +15000 odds, opened with a blistering better-ball 58 — a new tournament record — and led at halfway before slipping to a respectable T8 finish.

Defending champions Davis Riley and Nick Hardy couldn’t replicate their 2023 heroics, tumbling to T32 after an uninspired campaign.

The Zurich Classic, unique for its team format, once again produced an unpredictable, thrilling spectacle. Griffin and Novak’s win was a reminder that in New Orleans — whether it’s jazz or golf — the unexpected often steals the show.

As the celebrations rolled on under Louisiana’s golden sun, Griffin and Novak could finally soak in the magnitude of their breakthrough. No longer outsiders, they’re now PGA Tour winners, with careers that just hit a new high note