Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka will join forces for the upcoming Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two‑day team competition held at TPC Louisiana. Their partnership adds another intriguing storyline to a field of 80 duos all vying for the coveted trophy. The defending champions, Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, are back after narrowly edging out the Danish brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard by a single stroke to claim the 2025 title.
The Zurich Classic has become a showcase for some of golf's most recognizable pairings. In the two previous editions, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry teamed up, delivering a dramatic victory in 2024 when they defeated Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey in a sudden‑death playoff. The win sparked a memorable celebration: the duo performed a rousing rendition of Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believin’" on stage, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Their partnership was born out of a "drunken lunch" in Rome after Team Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph in 2023.
McIlroy recalled to GOLF.com, "I asked him to play, we had this really drunken lunch after the Ryder Cup last year. I said, ‘You wanna play the Zurich together?’ and we were like, ‘yeah, let’s do it.’" While McIlroy is currently enjoying a brief hiatus from competition after back‑to‑back Green Jacket victories at The Masters, Lowry has found a new teammate in five‑time major champion Brooks Koepka. Koepka returned to the PGA Tour in January after a four‑year stint with LIV Golf, and his reunion with Lowry—who lives just a short drive away in Florida—adds a personal touch to the professional alliance. The two have faced each other on opposite Ryder Cup sides in the past, yet they remain close friends and neighbors, making their collaboration both competitive and convivial.
Together, Lowry and Koepka bring a wealth of experience and a combined six major championships to the table. Lowry captured The Open Championship in 2019 at Royal Portrush and has been a key member of two Ryder Cup‑winning European squads. Koepka, meanwhile, boasts five majors, including two U.S. Open titles and three PGA Championships, cementing his reputation as one of the most dominant players in recent history.
Both are considered among the favorites to lift the Zurich Classic trophy, but the competition will be fierce. Fresh off his second PGA Tour win of the season, Matt Fitzpatrick will pair with his younger brother Alex Fitzpatrick. Matt has surged to No.
3 in the Official World Golf Rankings after triumphs at the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage, where he edged world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a playoff. Alex, after securing his first DP World Tour victory at the Hero Indian Open in March, hopes to improve on last year’s missed cut by two strokes. Rookie Marco Penge, a long‑driver from England, will make his PGA Tour debut alongside fellow Englishman Matt Wallace.
Penge’s best finish so far has been a tie for fourth at the Valspar Championship, indicating he can contend on the big stage. Aaron Rai will also return, this time partnered with Sahith Theegala, who has already recorded four top‑10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season. The Zurich Classic is unique on the PGA Tour calendar as the sole team event, featuring a hybrid format. The first and third rounds are played as four‑ball, where each player hits his own ball and the lower score on each hole counts for the team.
The second and final rounds switch to foursomes, a true alternate‑shot format where the partners share a single ball, alternating shots and teeing off on alternate holes. After 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend rounds. In 2025, the cut line sat at ten strokes under par, eliminating notable names such as Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama. If the leading teams are deadlocked after 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff will determine the champion.
The stakes are high: the prize pool has been increased from $9.2 million to $9.5 million, with the winning duo splitting roughly 14.45 percent—about $1.372 million each. In addition to the financial reward, each player on the victorious team earns 400 FedExCup points, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are awarded for this event.
Beyond the immediate benefits, the Zurich Classic winners secure exemptions into several marquee tournaments for the 2027 season, including the Players Championship and the PGA Championship, as well as an automatic invitation to defend their title at the Zurich Classic for the next two years. Sky Sports will broadcast live coverage throughout the tournament. Early‑round action begins at 1 pm on Thursday on Sky Sports Golf, with full coverage kicking off at 8 pm. Friday’s second round starts at 1:45 pm, again with comprehensive coverage from 8 pm.
Weekend play on Saturday and Sunday will be shown from 2 pm, with full evening coverage from 6 pm on both days. Simultaneously, the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Classic, will launch on Thursday on Sky Sports Main Event. As the field assembles and the formats shift from four‑ball to foursomes, fans can expect strategic intrigue, dramatic swings, and the occasional surprise.
Will Koepka’s power and Lowry’s precision prove the perfect blend? Can the Fitzpatrick brothers capitalize on their recent form?
Or will an underdog like Marco Penge pull off a breakout performance? The Zurich Classic promises high‑octane golf, and Sky Sports will be there to capture every swing, putt, and celebration.
Stay tuned all week for live updates, expert analysis, and the final showdown to determine who lifts the Zurich Classic trophy this year.