Lowry and Koepka Fall Short at Zurich Classic as Fitzpatrick Brothers Vie for Lead

Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, two of the most recognizable names on the PGA Tour, were unable to survive the cut at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, missing it by a single stroke after a promising start. Their early performance hinted at a possible resurgence, but the pair ultimately fell just short of the nine‑under‑par threshold that would have kept them in contention for the weekend. Lowry entered the event 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 duo opened the tournament with a solid 66 in the four‑ball format on Thursday, then followed that with a respectable 69 in the foursomes on Friday. After 36 holes they sat at nine under par, a single shot away from the cut line, which required a ten‑under score to advance. Meanwhile, the Fitzpatrick brothers—Matt and his younger sibling Alex—were making a strong push up the leaderboard. On Friday they posted a seven‑under‑par 65, catapulting them into a shared second‑place position after the first two rounds.

Their surge was matched by the American pairing of Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who posted back‑to‑back birdies to finish their round with a 70, moving them to 16 under par and establishing a clear one‑stroke lead over the Fitzpatricks and two other teams. Going into the third round, Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick trailed Smalley and Springer by six strokes.

The brothers responded with the day’s lowest round, narrowing the gap to a single shot heading into the final day of competition. A victory in New Orleans would cap an extraordinary few months for the Fitzpatrick family. Matt, who has recently climbed to third in the Official World Golf Rankings, earned his rise through wins at the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage, the latter seeing him defeat world number one Scottie Scheffler in a dramatic playoff.

Alex, meanwhile, has been in fine form of his own, capturing his first DP World Tour title at the Hero Indian Open earlier in March. The event also featured several other English contenders.

Aaron Rai, paired with American Sahith Theegala, sat at 12 under par, while Matt Wallace and Marco Penge were just one shot behind at 11 under. Tied for second place with the Fitzpatricks were Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat, as well as Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge, each team locked at 15 under. The Zurich Classic is unique on the PGA Tour as the sole team‑based competition. The first and third rounds are played in a four‑ball format, where each player plays their own ball and the lower score on each hole counts for the team.

The second and final rounds shift to a foursomes format, requiring teammates to alternate shots with a single ball, alternating tee shots on each hole. After the initial 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend rounds. If a tie remains after 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff determines the champion.

This year’s tournament carries a larger purse than before, having been increased from $9.2 million to $9.5 million. The winning pair will split roughly 14.45 percent of that total—about $1.372 million each—and each player will receive 400 FedExCup points, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are on offer. In addition to the financial reward, the victors earn invitations to marquee events in the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, and they secure an exemption to compete in the Zurich Classic for the next two years.

While Lowry and Koepka’s early rounds suggested they might contend, the narrow miss underscores the difficulty of team events where chemistry and consistency across both formats are essential. For the Fitzpatrick brothers, the tournament represents a continuation of a remarkable run that has seen them transition from missing the cut by two strokes last year to now challenging for the title. Their performance, combined with the strong showings from other teams, promises an exciting finish to the Zurich Classic as the remaining squads vie for the lucrative prize and the coveted tournament exemptions.