Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, the headline‑making duo for this year’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, saw their tournament hopes evaporate after missing the cut by a single stroke. The pair, who entered the event with high expectations, were unable to keep pace with the surging Fitzpatrick brothers and a handful of other teams that dominated the early rounds. Lowry entered the competition as a former champion, having captured the title two years earlier alongside Rory McIlroy. This year, however, McIlroy was absent, prompting Lowry to join forces with five‑time major winner Brooks Koepka.
The new partnership began brightly, posting a 66 in the Thursday four‑ball round and following it with a 69 in the Friday foursomes. After 36 holes the duo sat at nine under par, just one shot shy of the cut line, which was set at ten under. Meanwhile, English brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick were making a strong statement. On Friday they recorded a blistering seven‑under 65, propelling them into a share of second place after the halfway point.
Their momentum continued as they posted the day’s lowest round in the Saturday foursomes, narrowing the gap to just one stroke behind the leaders, the American pair of Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer. Smalley and Springer, who had already secured the top spot with a back‑to‑back birdie finish that gave them a 70 and a total of 16 under, were now only a single shot ahead of the Fitzpatrick brothers. A victory in New Orleans would have capped a remarkable few months for the Fitzpatricks. Matt Fitzpatrick, who recently climbed to third in the Official World Golf Rankings, had already added two PGA Tour wins to his résumé – the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage, the latter coming after a dramatic playoff against world‑number‑one Scottie Scheffler.
His younger brother Alex, fresh off his maiden DP World Tour triumph at the Hero Indian Open in March, was also enjoying a surge in form. The brothers had competed in the Zurich Classic the previous year but missed the cut by two strokes, making this year’s strong showing all the more significant.
Joining the Fitzpatricks in the second‑place cluster were Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat, as well as Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge, all sitting at 15 under after the first two rounds. English interest remained high with Aaron Rai, paired with American Sahith Theegala, sitting 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 sole team‑based event. The format alternates between four‑ball play in the first and third rounds – where each player hits their own ball and the lower score on each hole counts for the team – and foursomes in the second and final rounds, where teammates share a single ball and alternate shots.
After the initial 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend competition. If a tie persists after 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff determines the champion.
This year’s tournament also featured an increased purse, with organizers raising the total prize money from $9.2 million to $9.5 million. The winning team will split roughly 14.45 percent of that pool, translating to about $1.372 million per player. In addition to the financial 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 marquee events for the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, and will enjoy an exemption to return to the Zurich Classic for the next two years. Despite the disappointment for Lowry and Koepka, the early stages of the Zurich Classic provided plenty of drama and showcased the depth of talent across the field. The Fitzpatrick brothers, in particular, demonstrated why they are considered one of the sport’s most promising sibling pairings, combining consistent ball‑striking with strategic teamwork.
As the tournament moves into its final day, the battle for the top spot promises to be tightly contested, with several teams within a single stroke of each other and the coveted prize still up for grabs. Fans can continue to follow the action via live streams of the PGA Tour, tune into the Sky Sports Golf Podcast for analysis, or check the latest leaderboard updates on the official Zurich Classic website. The event not only offers high‑stakes competition but also highlights the camaraderie and unique strategic elements that only a team format can deliver on the PGA Tour schedule.