Shane Lowry joins forces with Brooks Koepka for the upcoming Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a distinctive team competition held at TPC Louisiana. The duo will be one of 80 pairings battling for the trophy, a field that includes the reigning champions Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, who edged out Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard by a single stroke to claim the 2025 title. The Zurich Classic has become a showcase for some of golf's most entertaining partnerships.

In recent years, Rory McIlroy and Lowry have been fan favourites, 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, a moment that sent the crowd into a frenzy. The pair first decided to pair up after a "drunken lunch" in Rome following Team Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph in 2023, a story McIlroy recounted to GOLF.com: "I asked him [to play]," he said.

"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 competition after back‑to‑back green jacket wins at The Masters, Lowry is now linked with five‑time major champion Brooks Koepka.

Koepka returned to the PGA Tour in January after a four‑year stint with LIV Golf, bringing a wealth of experience and a fierce competitive edge to the partnership. Both men live in Florida and have faced each other on opposite sides of Ryder Cup teams in the past, yet they share a close friendship that makes their collaboration feel natural.

Together, Lowry and Koepka bring an impressive résumé: Lowry captured The Open Championship in 2019 at Royal Portrush and has been a member of two victorious Ryder Cup squads. Koepka’s cabinet boasts five major titles, including two U.S. Opens and three PGA Championships.

Their combined six majors and extensive experience on the biggest stages make them early favourites, but the field is deep and the competition will be fierce. Among the other notable pairings, Matt Fitzpatrick will reunite with his younger brother Alex Fitzpatrick. Matt, fresh off his second PGA Tour win of the season and a recent climb to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings after victories at the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage (where he bested world No.

1 Scottie Scheffler in a playoff), will look to add a team title to his résumé. Alex, who secured his first DP World Tour victory at the Hero Indian Open in March, hopes to improve on last year’s missed cut. PGA Tour rookie Marco Penge makes his Zurich Classic debut alongside fellow Englishman Matt Wallace.

Penge, known for his long‑drive capabilities, posted a T‑4 finish at the Valspar Championship in March, signalling his growing comfort on the American circuit. Aaron Rai returns with Sahith Theegala, who already has four top‑10 finishes this season on the PGA Tour, adding further depth to the competition.

The Zurich Classic is the only team event on the PGA Tour calendar and features a hybrid format. The first and third rounds are played as four‑ball, where each player hits their own ball and the lower score on each hole counts for the team. The second and final rounds switch to foursomes, a true alternate‑shot format in which teammates share a single ball and alternate shots, including tee shots on odd‑ and even‑numbered holes.

After 36 holes, the top 33 teams and ties advance to the weekend, with last year’s cut line set at ten strokes under par. If a tie persists after 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff decides the champion. The prize purse for this year’s Zurich Classic has been increased from $9.2 million to $9.5 million. The winning pair will split roughly 14.45 percent of the total, translating to about $1.372 million each.

In addition to the monetary reward, each winner receives 400 FedExCup points, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are awarded. The champions also earn invitations to marquee events for the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, and enjoy an exemption to compete in the Zurich Classic for the next two years. Sky Sports will broadcast live coverage of 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 Saturday evenings. The weekend’s final rounds will be shown from 2 p.m.

with comprehensive coverage from 6 p.m. Additionally, the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Classic, will be aired on Sky Sports Main Event.

With a mix of seasoned champions, rising stars, and intriguing partnerships, the Zurich Classic promises drama, camaraderie, and high‑stakes golf. Will Koepka and Lowry’s friendship and complementary skill sets be enough to secure victory, or will another duo rise to the occasion?

Fans can follow the unfolding story live on Sky Sports throughout the week.