Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka have joined forces for this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a PGA Tour team competition held at TPC Louisiana. Their partnership adds another intriguing storyline to a field of 80 duos all vying for the coveted title.
The defending champions, Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, are back after narrowly defeating the Danish brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard by a single shot in the 2025 edition. The Zurich Classic is unique on the PGA Tour because it is the only tournament that pits players against each other in a team format.
The event is split into two distinct styles of play. During the first and third rounds the teams compete in a four‑ball format: each golfer plays his own ball throughout the round and the lower of the two scores on each hole counts for the team. The second and final rounds switch to a foursomes (alternate‑shot) format, where the partners share a single ball and take turns hitting shots, alternating tee shots on each hole. After 36 holes the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend, while the rest are eliminated.
If a tie remains after the final round, a sudden‑death playoff decides the champion. Lowry’s new teammate, Brooks Koepka, is a five‑time major winner who returned to the PGA Tour in January after a four‑year stint with LIV Golf.
The Irishman, fresh from back‑to‑back Green Jacket victories at the Masters, brings a calm, methodical game that complements Koepka’s power‑driven style. Together they have six major titles between them—Lowry captured The Open Championship in 2019 at Royal Portrush and has been a member of two Ryder Cup‑winning European squads, while Koepka boasts five majors, including two U.S. Opens and three PGA Championships.
Although they have faced each other on opposite Ryder Cup sides in the past, the two are close friends and even share a residence in Florida, making their collaboration both practical and personable. The pair enter the tournament as among the favorites, but the competition is fierce.
Recent winners Matt Fitzpatrick will be back on the course, this time paired with his younger brother Alex Fitzpatrick. Matt, who has risen 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—brings recent momentum.
Alex, fresh off his first DP World Tour victory at the Hero Indian Open, is eager to improve on last year’s missed cut. Other notable entrants include PGA Tour rookie Marco Penge, who will make his tournament debut alongside Englishman Matt Wallace.
Penge, known for his long‑driver abilities, posted a T‑4 finish at the Valspar Championship earlier this season, indicating he can handle the pressure of a big‑stage event. Aaron Rai will partner with Sahith Theegala, the latter having already secured four top‑10 finishes on the PGA Tour this year. The Zurich Classic’s prize purse has been increased for 2026, climbing from $9.2 million to $9.5 million. The winning duo will split roughly 14.45 percent of that pool—about $1.372 million each—plus 400 FedExCup points per player.
While the event does not award Official World Golf Ranking points, the champions earn valuable exemptions, including entry into the 2027 Players Championship, the 2027 PGA Championship, and an automatic invitation to the Zurich Classic for the next two seasons. Television coverage will be provided by Sky Sports across all four days. Early‑round action begins at 1 p.m. on Thursday on Sky Sports Golf, with full coverage kicking in at 8 p.m.
Friday and continuing through the weekend, where the main broadcast starts at 2 p.m. and expands to a prime‑time slot at 6 p.m. In addition to the men’s event, Sky Sports will also air the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Classic, on its Main Event channel.
Historically, the Zurich Classic has produced dramatic finishes. In 2025, the defending champions survived a one‑stroke victory, and last year’s cut line sat at ten under par, leaving big names such as Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama out of the weekend.
This year’s format, with its blend of four‑ball aggression and foursomes strategy, rewards both individual brilliance and seamless teamwork. Players must adapt quickly between the two styles, managing the psychological shift from playing their own ball to sharing every shot with a partner. For Lowry and Koepka, the challenge will be to meld Lowry’s precise iron play and calm putting with Koepka’s length off the tee and ability to generate birdies under pressure.
Their proximity in Florida means they can practice together ahead of the event, fine‑tuning communication and shot‑selection. If they can harness their combined experience—six majors, multiple Ryder Cup appearances, and years of high‑stakes competition—they stand a strong chance of adding the Zurich Classic trophy to their cabinets.
Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, with featured groups starting at 1 p.m. on Thursday and full coverage from 8 p.m. each night. The tournament promises exciting golf, strategic nuance, and the chance to see two of the sport’s biggest personalities join forces in pursuit of a rare team victory.