Andrew Novak, Ben Griffin clinch first PGA wins at Zurich Classic

Field Level Media|published: Sun 27th April, 19:53 2025

Apr 25, 2025; Avondale, Louisiana, USA; Ben Griffin, right, and Andrew Novak finish up on the 9th hole during the second round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin became first-time PGA Tour winners by capturing the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Sunday in Avondale, La.

The pair posted a final-round 1-under-par 71 in alternate-shot play for a one-stroke victory at TPC Louisiana.

Novak and Griffin finished at 28-under 260, with Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard (68 on Sunday) in second place at 27 under and Jake Knapp and Frankie Capan III (70) in third place at 26 under.

Novak had several near-misses in pursuing tournament titles this year, including last week's playoff loss to Justin Thomas in the RBC Heritage.

Novak and Griffin are North Carolinians. Novak was in his 100th PGA Tour event, while Griffin was entered for the 90th time.

After three bogeys and three birdies on the front side, the pair had seven consecutive pars until Griffin rolled in a birdie putt from the fringe nearly 35 feet away at No. 17 to break a tie with Knapp and Capan, who took a bogey on the hole.

The Hojgaard brothers applied pressure with birdies on three of the final six holes, including a birdie at No. 18 in the group ahead of the leaders.

Griffin's approach shot on par-5 No. 18 left the team 16 feet away, and two putts later they had a par and a championship.

The teams of David Lipsky and Dylan Wu, Taylor Dickson and Trace Crowe and Michael Thorbjornsen and Australia's Karl Vilips all finished with 68s to tie for fourth place with Luke List and Sweden's Henrik Norlander (69) at 25 under.

Thorbjornsen and Vilips were undone by a double-bogey 5 on No. 17.

Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo, who began the tournament with a 58, finished with 71 for a tie for eighth place at 24 under.

Defending champions Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) and Shane Lowry (Ireland) dropped to a 12th-place tie at 22 under with their 72. They started the round tied for fifth place and then played the front nine in 2 under before slumping.

For the second day in a row, there was an afternoon suspension because of weather conditions, this time for slightly more than 90 minutes.

--Field Level Media

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