Shane Lowry will join forces with Brooks Koepka for this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a unique team competition staged at TPC Louisiana. The duo will be one of 80 two‑man teams battling for the trophy, a field that includes the 2025 defending champions Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, who edged out brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard by a single stroke to claim last year’s title. The Zurich Classic has become a showcase for some of the most entertaining pairings on the PGA Tour. In recent seasons, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry have been the standout partnership, capturing the 2024 edition after a dramatic playoff against Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey.
Their victory was celebrated in style when they performed a rousing rendition of Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believin’" onstage, much to the delight of the crowd. The pair first decided to team up after a "drunken lunch" in Rome, where they were reveling in Team Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph in 2023.
As McIlroy recounted to GOLF.com, "I asked him [to play]. 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 golf after securing back‑to‑back green jackets at the Masters, Lowry has found a new partner in five‑time major champion Brooks Koepka. Koepka, who re‑joined the PGA Tour in January after a four‑year stint with LIV Golf, brings a wealth of experience and a formidable record to the partnership. Between them, Lowry and Koepka have amassed six major championships: Lowry captured The Open Championship in 2019 at Royal Portrush and has been a key member of two Ryder Cup‑winning European squads, while Koepka’s résumé includes five majors—two U.S.
Open titles and three PGA Championships. The Lowry‑Koepka tandem is already being mentioned as one of the favorites, but the competition promises a deep field.
Fresh off his second PGA Tour win of the season, Matt Fitzpatrick will be back in contention, this time paired with his younger brother Alex Fitzpatrick. The Fitzpatrick brothers have enjoyed a remarkable few months: Matt has risen to No.
3 in the Official World Golf Rankings after triumphs at the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage, where he bested world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a sudden‑death playoff. Alex, meanwhile, secured his first DP World Tour victory at the Hero Indian Open in March, signaling that the brothers could be a formidable force together.
Other notable entrants include PGA Tour rookie Marco Penge, who will make his tournament debut alongside fellow Englishman Matt Wallace. Penge, known for his prodigious driving distance, posted a tied‑fourth finish at the Valspar Championship in March, hinting that his power could translate well to the team format.
Aaron Rai returns to the field with Sahith Theegala, who has already logged four top‑10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season. The Zurich Classic is the sole team event on the PGA Tour calendar, and its format is designed to test both individual skill and collaborative strategy. The first and third rounds are played as four‑ball (better‑ball) contests.
Each player tees off and plays his own ball throughout the round, but only the lower score on each hole counts toward the team’s total. This format encourages aggressive play, as a player can take risks knowing his partner’s score may still protect the team. The second and final rounds switch to foursomes (alternate‑shot) play.
In this more demanding format, the teammates share a single ball and alternate shots until the hole is completed. They also alternate tee shots on odd‑ and even‑numbered holes.
The total number of strokes taken by the pair on each hole becomes the team’s score. This shift tests communication, shot‑making consistency, and the ability to adapt to each other’s strengths. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the top 33 teams and ties, who advance to the weekend. In 2025 the cut line sat at ten strokes under par, and even high‑profile players such as Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama missed the weekend.
If a tie persists after 72 holes, the championship is decided by a sudden‑death playoff, with the lowest‑scoring team on a hole taking the win. The stakes are high. The tournament’s purse has been increased from $9.2 million to $9.5 million, and the winning team will split roughly 14.45 percent of that total—about $1.372 million each. In addition to the financial reward, each winner receives 400 FedExCup points, although no Official World Golf Ranking points are awarded.
Victory also grants entry into several marquee events for the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, and an exemption to compete in the Zurich Classic for the next two years. Sky Sports will broadcast the entire event live across all four days. Early‑round coverage begins at 1 p.m.
on Thursday on Sky Sports Golf, with full coverage rolling out at 8 p.m. The second round starts at 1:45 p.m.
on Friday, again moving to full coverage at 8 p.m. Weekend action will be shown from 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with comprehensive coverage kicking off at 6 p.m.
each day. In addition to the Zurich Classic, Sky Sports will also air the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Classic, on Thursday via Sky Sports Main Event. With a mix of seasoned champions, rising stars, and intriguing partnerships, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans promises drama, camaraderie, and high‑level golf.
Will the Lowry‑Koepka pairing add their names to the growing list of champions, or will another team seize the moment? Tune in throughout the week to find out, as Sky Sports delivers every swing, putt, and playoff drama live.