Shane Lowry will join forces with Brooks Koepka for this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a PGA Tour team competition staged at TPC Louisiana. The duo will be one of 80 pairs battling for the coveted title, following the defending champions Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, who edged out Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard by a single stroke to claim victory in 2025. The tournament’s recent history is peppered with memorable partnerships. Over the past two editions, Rory McIlroy and Lowry have teamed up, capturing the 2024 championship after a dramatic playoff win over Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey.
Their triumph was celebrated in a flamboyant fashion: the pair performed a full‑throttle rendition of Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believin’" on stage, sending the crowd into a frenzy. According to McIlroy, the partnership was born out of a "drunken lunch" in Rome after Team Europe’s Ryder Cup success in 2023. "I asked him [to play]," McIlroy told GOLF.com. "We had this really drunken lunch after the Ryder Cup last year.
I said after, 'You wanna play the Zurich together?' And we were like, 'yeah, let’s do it.'" While McIlroy enjoys a brief hiatus from competitive play after back‑to‑back Green Jackets at The Masters, Lowry is now paired with five‑time major champion Brooks Koepka. Koepka, who rejoined the PGA Tour in January after a four‑year stint with LIV Golf, brings a wealth of experience and a resume that includes two U.S. Open titles and three PGA Championships. Together, Lowry and Koepka represent a unique blend of friendship and rivalry: the two have faced each other on opposite sides of the Ryder Cup in previous years, yet they live only a short drive apart in Florida and share a close personal bond.
Collectively, the pair command six major championships. Lowry’s crowning achievement came at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, and he has contributed to two victorious Ryder Cup teams for Europe. Koepka’s trophy cabinet is even more expansive, featuring five major wins that underscore his reputation as one of the modern era’s most dominant players.
Their combined pedigree makes them early favorites, but the field is deep and competitive. Among the other contenders, Matt Fitzpatrick will return to the competition alongside his younger brother, Alex Fitzpatrick.
Matt, fresh off his second PGA Tour victory of the season, has surged to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings after triumphs at the Valspar Championship and a dramatic playoff win at the RBC Heritage, where he outlasted world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Alex, meanwhile, captured his first DP World Tour title at the Hero Indian Open in March and will be eager to improve on the brothers’ missed cut last year.
Rookie Marco Penge, a long‑driver from England, will make his Zurich Classic debut with fellow Englishman Matt Wallace. Penge’s best finish to date on the PGA Tour is a tie for fourth at the Valspar Championship, signaling that he could be a dark horse in the event. Aaron Rai will also return, paired with Sahith Theegala, who has already logged four top‑10 finishes this season, further illustrating the depth of talent in the field. The Zurich Classic is the sole team‑based tournament on the PGA Tour schedule, and its format is designed to test both individual skill and partnership chemistry.
The first and third rounds employ a four‑ball (better‑ball) format: each player plays his own ball, and the lower score on each hole counts for the team. The second and final rounds switch to a foursomes (alternate‑shot) format, where the pair shares a single ball and alternates shots, with tee shots alternating on each hole. After 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend.
In 2025, the cut line was set at ten strokes under par, and notable players such as Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama missed the weekend. If a tie persists after the full 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff will determine the champion. The stakes are high: the prize pool for the Zurich Classic has been increased from $9.2 million to $9.5 million, with the winning team splitting roughly 14.45 percent—about $1.372 million each. In addition to the financial reward, each winner receives 400 FedExCup points, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are awarded.
Victory also grants automatic entry into several marquee events for the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, as well as a two‑year exemption to return to the Zurich Classic. Broadcast coverage will be provided by Sky Sports across all four days.
Early‑round action kicks off at 1 pm on Sky Sports Golf on Thursday, with full coverage beginning at 8 pm. Friday’s second round starts at 1:45 pm, again followed by comprehensive coverage at 8 pm. Weekend play will be shown from 2 pm, with prime‑time coverage launching at 6 pm on both Saturday and Sunday.
The event runs alongside the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Classic, which will be aired live on Sky Sports Main Event. Fans can also tune into the Sky Sports Golf Podcast for analysis, stream the PGA Tour without a contract, and consult the 2026 PGA Tour schedule for additional context. The Zurich Classic promises high‑octane drama, elite talent, and the unique camaraderie that only a team format can deliver.
Whether Koepka and Lowry’s friendship translates into a winning combination or another partnership rises to the occasion, the tournament will provide a compelling narrative for golf enthusiasts worldwide.