Two-Time Champion Billy Horschel Forced To Withdraw From Zurich Classic Of New Orleans

Billy Horschel has withdrawn from the Zurich Classic of New Orleans due to a "lower body injury".

The two-time champion is the only player to win the Zurich Classic both as an individual and as part of a team after the tournament switched formats in 2017.

Horschel won the individual event on the PGA Tour in 2013, then combined with Scott Piercy to win the new team format in 2018.

Scheduled to play alongside Tom Hoge this year, Horschel's team were well fancied once again as one of the leading betting favorites at TPC Louisiana.

First alternate Kevin Chappell will now team up with Hoge in the tournament, which sees Rory McIlroy return to action for the first time since his epic Masters victory.

Horschel said it "sucks" to have to withdraw due to his injury, but added on social media that "hopefully after a few days of rest, recovery and therapy, I’ll be back and good to go".

Eight-time PGA Tour winner Horschel finished 27th at the RBC Heritage last week after missing the cut at Augusta, but had a fourth-placed finish at the Valspar as evidence of some decent form in him.

And despite having to miss the event, Horschel later posted a picture on social media of him watching Hoge and Chappell in action during the first round.

While missing the two-time champion is a blow, the tournament had a major boost when new Grand Slam winner McIlroy decided to defend the title he won last year alongside his close friend Shane Lowry.

Lowry admitted he wasn't sure if McIlroy would have the time or energy to make it to New Orleans regardless of how his playoff against Justin Rose went, but the five-time Major champion was happy to make the trip.

Zurich sponsorship boost for PGA tournament

As well as having McIlroy in the field, the tournament received another big boost in the build-up with news that Zurich had signed an extenstion to its sponsorship of the event.

Horschel sat alongside PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan earlier in the week as the news of Zurich signing on until 2030 was revealed.

"As I've said many a times, there's a lot of great sponsors on the PGA Tour, but I don't think there's a better one than Zurich in the sense of what they do here in New Orleans and then what I do with them away from here with their customers and clients," Horschel said.

"Their executives love coming down here, being a part of the community, giving back."