Shane Lowry will join forces with Brooks Koepka for the upcoming Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a PGA Tour team competition held at TPC Louisiana. The duo will be one of 80 pairings battling for the trophy, a field that includes defending champions Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, who captured the 2025 title by edging out Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard by a single stroke.
The Zurich Classic has become a showcase for some of the game’s most recognizable names, and this year’s lineup features a blend of seasoned major winners and hungry newcomers. Lowry, the 2019 Open Champion, and Koepka, a five‑time major victor, bring a combined total of six major titles and a wealth of experience on golf's biggest stages. Their partnership is especially intriguing because the two have previously faced each other as rivals on opposite Ryder Cup squads, yet they share a close friendship and even live within a short drive of each other in Florida. The pairing follows a recent pattern of high‑profile collaborations.
Over the past two editions of the Zurich Classic, Rory McIlroy and Lowry joined forces, winning the 2024 event after a dramatic playoff against Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey. Their victory was celebrated in true show‑business fashion when the pair performed a rousing rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” for the cheering crowd. McIlroy has recounted that the partnership was sparked by a “drunken lunch” in Rome after Team Europe’s 2023 Ryder Cup triumph, a moment that turned a casual invitation into a successful on‑course alliance.
While McIlroy enjoys a brief hiatus from competitive play after back‑to‑back green jacket victories at The Masters, Lowry now finds himself paired with Koepka, who re‑joined the PGA Tour in January after a four‑year stint with LIV Golf. Koepka’s return has added depth to the tour’s roster, and his aggressive style complements Lowry’s steady, links‑influenced game. The Zurich Classic’s format is unique on the PGA Tour calendar. The first and third rounds are played as four‑ball, where each player hits his 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 that demands precise coordination as the partners share a single ball and alternate tee shots. After 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend, with last year’s cut line set at ten under par. If a tie persists after 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff determines the champion.
Koepka and Lowry enter the event as early favorites, but the competition is fierce. Matt Fitzpatrick, fresh off his second PGA Tour win of the season, will be back on the course alongside his younger brother Alex Fitzpatrick. Matt has surged to No.
3 in the Official World Golf Rankings after triumphs at the Valspar Championship and a dramatic playoff victory over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler at the RBC Heritage. Alex, meanwhile, captured his first DP World Tour title at the Hero Indian Open in March and is eager to improve on the near‑miss they suffered last year, when the brothers missed the cut by two strokes.
Other notable entries include PGA Tour rookie Marco Penge, who will debut at the Zurich Classic with fellow Englishman Matt Wallace. Penge, known for his prodigious length, posted a tied‑fourth finish at the Valspar Championship earlier this season. Aaron Rai returns with Sahith Theegala, who has already chalked up four top‑10 finishes on the PGA Tour this year.
The prize purse for the Zurich Classic has been increased to $9.5 million (£7.05 million), up from $9.2 million the previous year. The winning team will split roughly 14.45 percent of the total, translating to about $1.372 million (£1.02 million) per player. In addition to the financial reward, each winner receives 400 FedExCup points, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are awarded.
Victors also earn invitations to marquee events for 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 editions. Sky Sports will broadcast the entire tournament across its Golf channel, beginning with early‑round coverage at 1 pm on Thursday, followed by full coverage from 8 pm. The second round will start at 1:45 pm on Friday, with prime‑time coverage again at 8 pm.
Weekend action will be shown from 2 pm, with comprehensive coverage kicking off at 6 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Viewers can also catch the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Classic, live on Sky Sports Main Event. As the field assembles and the format shifts from four‑ball to foursomes, the strategic interplay between Lowry’s precise iron play and Koepka’s power game will be under the microscope.
Their complementary skill sets could prove decisive in the high‑pressure alternate‑shot rounds, where teamwork often eclipses individual brilliance. Fans will be watching closely to see whether this new partnership can replicate the success of McIlroy and Lowry, and whether they can navigate the deep talent pool that includes seasoned veterans and rising stars alike. The Zurich Classic promises a week of compelling storylines, from the drama of the format changes to the personal narratives of players returning from LIV Golf, chasing major victories, or seeking to cement their place among the sport’s elite. Whether you are a casual observer or a dedicated golf aficionado, the tournament offers a rare glimpse into how collaboration and strategy shape outcomes in a sport traditionally dominated by solo competition.
Stay tuned, follow the live coverage on Sky Sports, and watch as Koepka, Lowry, and the rest of the field vie for one of the PGA Tour’s most coveted team titles.