Shane Lowry will join forces with Brooks Koepka for this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two‑man team competition held at TPC Louisiana. Their partnership adds another intriguing storyline to a field of 80 duos all vying for the trophy. The defending champions, Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, are back after edging out the Danish brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard by a single stroke in the 2025 edition.
In recent years the tournament has featured a number of high‑profile pairings. Rory McIlroy and Lowry, who teamed up for the last two editions, captured the title in 2024 by beating Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey in a dramatic playoff.
Their victory was celebrated in a memorable 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 idea for the partnership was born over a "drunken lunch" after Team Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph in Rome in 2023.
"I asked him if he wanted to play the Zurich together," McIlroy told GOLF.com. "We were both a little tipsy and thought, ‘why not?’" While McIlroy is currently enjoying a break from competition after securing back‑to‑back green jackets at the Masters, Lowry has found a new teammate in five‑time major winner Brooks Koepka.
Koepka returned to the PGA Tour in January following a four‑year stint with LIV Golf, and his experience on the biggest stages makes him a natural fit for the team format. Both men live in Florida and have become good friends despite having faced each other on opposite sides of the Ryder Cup in the past. Together Lowry and Koepka bring a combined six major championships to the table. Lowry lifted the Claret Jug at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush and has been a member of two victorious Ryder Cup teams.
Koepka’s resume includes two U.S. Open titles and three PGA Championships, giving him five majors in total. Their complementary skill sets – Lowry’s precision iron play and Koepka’s power off the tee – make them strong contenders for the title, though the competition will be fierce. Among the other notable pairings, Matt Fitzpatrick will reunite with his younger brother Alex.
Matt, fresh off his second PGA Tour win of the season, has climbed to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings after triumphs at the Valspar Championship and a playoff victory over world‑No. 1 Scottie Scheffler at the RBC Heritage.
Alex, meanwhile, captured his first DP World Tour title at the Hero Indian Open in March. The brothers missed the cut by two strokes in the event last year, so they will be eager to improve their performance. Rookie Marco Penge, a long‑driver who has shown promise on the PGA Tour with a tied‑fourth finish at the Valspar Championship, will make his Zurich Classic debut alongside fellow Englishman Matt Wallace. Aaron Rai will also return, paired with Sahith Theegala, who has already chalked up four top‑10 finishes this season.
The Zurich Classic is unique on the PGA Tour as the sole official team event. The format alternates between four‑ball and foursomes.
In the first and third rounds, each player plays his own ball and the lower score on each hole counts for the team – a classic four‑ball setup that encourages aggressive play. The second and final rounds switch to foursomes, where teammates alternate shots using a single ball; one player tees off on odd‑numbered holes and the other on even‑numbered holes, and the combined strokes determine the team’s score for each hole. After 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend rounds. Last year’s cut line was set at ten strokes under par, and several high‑profile teams, including those of Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, missed the weekend.
If a tie persists after the full 72‑hole schedule, a sudden‑death playoff will decide the champion. The purse for the Zurich Classic has been increased from $9.2 million to $9.5 million, reflecting the Tour’s desire to reward the team format. The winning pair will split roughly 14.45 percent of the total purse – about $1.372 million – and each player will earn 400 FedExCup points.
No Official World Golf Ranking points are awarded, but the victors do secure invitations to marquee events for the 2027 season, such as The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, as well as an exemption to return to the Zurich Classic for the next two years. Sky Sports will broadcast every round live. Early‑round coverage begins at 1 pm on Sky Sports Golf on Thursday, with full coverage kicking in at 8 pm.
Friday’s second round starts at 1:45 pm, again moving to full coverage at 8 pm. Weekend action will be shown from 2 pm, with comprehensive coverage from 6 pm on both Saturday and Sunday.
In addition, the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Classic, will be aired on Sky Sports Main Event. With a field stacked with major champions, rising stars, and seasoned veterans, the Zurich Classic promises drama, strategy, and plenty of excitement. Will the Lowry‑Koepka duo claim the title, or will another pair rise to the occasion? Fans can follow the competition throughout the week on Sky Sports, catching every swing, every strategic decision, and ultimately, the moment a new champion is crowned.