Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, two of the most recognizable names on the PGA Tour, saw their hopes of advancing at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans evaporate by a single stroke, missing the cut after the first two rounds. Their partnership was a product of circumstance: Lowry, who captured the Zurich Classic title two years earlier alongside Rory McIlroy, was left without his regular teammate when McIlroy opted out of this year’s event. The Irishman therefore paired with the five‑time major champion Brooks Koepka, hoping that the combination of Lowry’s consistency and Koepka’s power would prove enough to survive the cut. The duo got off to a solid start, posting a 66 in the Thursday four‑ball round and following it with a 69 in the Friday foursomes.
After 36 holes they stood at nine under par, just one shot shy of the cut line, which was set at ten under. Despite the respectable performance, the narrow margin meant that both Lowry and Koepka were eliminated from the tournament, joining a growing list of high‑profile players who have struggled to adapt to the unique team format of the Zurich Classic. Meanwhile, the Fitzpatrick brothers from England were making headlines of their own. Matt Fitzpatrick, fresh off a surge to No.
3 in the Official World Golf Rankings after winning the Valspar Championship and then clinching the RBC Heritage in a dramatic playoff against world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, teamed up with his younger sibling Alex. On Friday the pair carded a blistering seven‑under‑par 65, propelling them into a shared second‑place position after the halfway point.
Their aggressive play kept them within striking distance of the leaders and set the stage for a thrilling weekend. American teammates Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who had been holding the top spot after the opening rounds, continued to demonstrate why they were the team to beat. A round of 70, highlighted by consecutive birdies toward the end, left them at 16 under par – a full stroke ahead of the Fitzpatrick brothers and two strokes clear of the next closest teams.
The margin, however, remained narrow enough to keep the competition alive. Going into the third round, the Fitzpatrick brothers found themselves six shots behind Smalley and Springer. They responded with the day’s lowest round, narrowing the gap to just a single stroke heading into the final day of competition. A victory in New Orleans would cap an extraordinary few months for the Fitzpatricks.
Matt, already perched near the summit of the world rankings, had added two PGA Tour victories to his résumé, while Alex was riding the momentum of his first DP World Tour win at the Hero Indian Open earlier in the season. The brothers had entered the Zurich Classic last year but missed the cut by two strokes, making this year’s deep run a redemption story. Other English teams were also in the mix. Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat, as well as Billy Horschel paired with Tom Hoge, were tied with the Fitzpatricks at 15 under par, forming a tightly packed leaderboard.
Aaron Rai, playing alongside American Sahith Theegala, sat at 12 under, while Matt Wallace and Marco Penge were just one shot further back at 11 under. The field was packed with talent, and the team format added an extra layer of strategy, as players had to balance aggressive play with the need to protect their partner’s score.
The Zurich Classic remains the PGA Tour’s sole team event, featuring a hybrid format that tests both individual skill and collaborative chemistry. The first and third rounds are played as four‑ball, where each golfer plays his own ball and the lower score on each hole counts for the team.
The second and final rounds switch to foursomes, requiring teammates to alternate shots with a single ball, effectively turning the competition into a true partnership test. After 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 decides the champion. This year’s tournament also carries heightened financial stakes.
The prize purse has been increased from $9.2 million to $9.5 million, with the winning pair set to split roughly 14.45 percent of the total – an estimated $1.372 million each. In addition to the monetary reward, the victors will each earn 400 FedExCup points, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are awarded for the event. The triumph also grants the winners exemptions into several marquee tournaments for the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, as well as an automatic entry into the Zurich Classic for the next two years. While Lowry and Koepka’s early exit was disappointing for fans hoping to see a repeat of Lowry’s 2022 success, the tournament’s narrative has shifted to the Fitzpatrick brothers and the battle for the top spot.
Their blend of experience, recent victories, and sibling chemistry makes them compelling contenders, and the final round promises to deliver a dramatic conclusion to a week that has highlighted the unpredictable nature of team golf on the PGA Tour.