Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, two of golf's most recognizable names, were unable to survive the cut at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, missing it by a single stroke. Their early exit came after a promising start that saw the duo post solid scores in the opening rounds, but ultimately they fell just short of the nine‑under‑par line required to continue into the weekend.
Lowry entered the tournament as the defending champion, having captured the title two years earlier when he partnered with Rory McIlroy. This year, however, McIlroy was absent, prompting Lowry to join forces with five‑time major winner Brooks Koepka.
The pairing began strongly, recording a 66 in the Thursday four‑ball segment and following it up with a 69 in the Friday foursomes. After 36 holes they were sitting at nine under par, merely one shot away from the cut line, which was set at ten under. Meanwhile, English brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick were making a surge up the leaderboard. On Friday they posted a seven‑under‑par 65, propelling them into a share of second place after the first two rounds.
Their momentum was further amplified by the American duo of Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who maintained the top spot with a back‑to‑back birdie finish that gave them a 70 for the round and a total of 16 under par—one stroke clear of the Fitzpatrick brothers and two strokes ahead of the next closest pairs. Going into the Friday foursomes, the Fitzpatricks trailed Smalley and Springer by six shots, but they responded with the lowest round of the day, narrowing the gap to a single stroke heading into Saturday. A victory in New Orleans would have capped an extraordinary few months for the Fitzpatrick family. Matt Fitzpatrick had recently climbed to third in the Official World Golf Rankings after winning the Valspar Championship and then prevailing in a dramatic playoff at the RBC Heritage, where he outlasted world number one Scottie Scheffler.
His younger brother Alex, who secured his first DP World Tour victory at the Hero Indian Open in March, was also in fine form. The brothers had competed together at the Zurich Classic the previous year but missed the cut by two strokes.
Other teams tied with the Fitzpatricks for second place included Davis Thompson paired with Austin Eckroat, as well as Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge, all sitting at 15 under par. Additional English interest was represented by Aaron Rai, who teamed with American Sahith Theegala and sat at 12 under, while Matt Wallace and Marco Penge were just one shot behind at 11 under.
The Zurich Classic is unique on the PGA Tour as the only team‑based event. The competition uses a four‑ball format for the first and third rounds, where each player plays his own ball and the lower score on each hole counts for the team. The second and final rounds shift to a foursomes format, requiring partners to alternate shots with a single ball, alternating tee shots as well.
After the initial 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend rounds. If a tie persists after 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff determines the champion. This year’s tournament featured a heightened prize purse, increased by PGA Tour officials from $9.2 million (£6.83 million) to $9.5 million (£7.05 million). The winning team will split approximately 14.45 percent of the total, translating to about $1.372 million (£1.02 million) per player.
In addition to the monetary reward, each member of the victorious duo will earn 400 FedExCup points, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are on offer. The champions will also secure invitations to several marquee events for the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, and will receive an exemption to return to the Zurich Classic for the next two years. Despite the early disappointment for Lowry and Koepka, the tournament showcased the depth and excitement of team golf on the PGA Tour, with the Fitzpatrick brothers emerging as the most compelling storyline.
Their strong performance, combined with the tight competition from other pairs, set the stage for an intriguing final round that promised to test skill, strategy, and partnership under pressure.