Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka are set to join forces for the upcoming Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a unique team‑based stop on the PGA Tour that will be played at TPC Louisiana. Their partnership adds another compelling storyline to a field of 80 duos all vying for the coveted title. The defending champions, Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, will be back in the mix after edging out the Danish brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard by a single stroke to claim the 2025 victory. Griffin and Novak will be looking to repeat their success, but the arrival of Koepka and Lowry creates a fresh challenge for the incumbents.
Lowry is no stranger to the Zurich Classic. Over the past two editions he paired with Rory McIlroy, the European Ryder Cup stalwarts who captured the 2024 edition after a dramatic playoff against Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey.
Their win was celebrated in true show‑business fashion, as the pair performed a rousing version of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” on stage for a delighted crowd. The partnership was born out of a "drunken lunch" in Rome following Team Europe’s 2023 Ryder Cup triumph, a moment McIlroy later recounted to GOLF.com: “I asked him to play, we had this really drunken lunch after the Ryder Cup last year. I said, ‘You wanna play the Zurich together?’ And we were like, ‘yeah, let’s do it.’” Now, with McIlroy focusing on his own schedule after back‑to‑back green jackets at The Masters, Lowry has turned to five‑time major champion Brooks Koepka. Koepka returned to the PGA Tour in January after a four‑year stint with LIV Golf, bringing his wealth of experience and a hunger to prove himself in a traditional tour setting.
The two golfers are not only close friends but also neighbors in Florida, a fact that adds a comfortable familiarity to their on‑course collaboration. Both players bring impressive résumés. Lowry captured The Open Championship in 2019 at the storied Royal Portrush course and has been a member of two victorious Ryder Cup teams.
Koepka, meanwhile, boasts five major titles—including two U.S. Open victories and three PGA Championships—making him one of the most decorated players of his generation. Combined, they have six major wins and a deep familiarity with high‑pressure situations, which positions them as early favorites.
Nevertheless, the competition will be 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’s recent surge has propelled him to No.
3 in the Official World Golf Rankings after triumphs at the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage, where he outlasted world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a playoff. Alex, having secured his first DP World Tour title at the Hero Indian Open in March, will be eager to improve on the missed cut the brothers suffered last year. Rookie Marco Penge, a long‑driver from England, will make his Zurich Classic debut with fellow Englishman Matt Wallace.
Penge’s best finish on the PGA Tour to date is a tied‑fourth at the Valspar Championship, indicating his potential to surprise. Aaron Rai will also be back, paired with Sahith Theegala, who has already logged four top‑10 finishes this season. The Zurich Classic remains the sole team event on the PGA Tour calendar, and its format is distinctive. The first and third rounds are played as four‑ball, where each player hits their own ball and the lower of the two scores on each hole counts for the team.
The second and final rounds shift to foursomes, a true alternate‑shot format in which the partners share a single ball, taking turns to hit shots and alternating tee shots on each hole. After 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend. In 2025, the cut line sat at ten strokes under par, eliminating notable names such as Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama. If the leaders are still dead‑locked after 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff will decide the champions.
This year’s purse has been bumped up from $9.2 million to $9.5 million, with the winning duo set to split roughly 14.45 percent—about $1.372 million each. In addition to the cash, the victors earn 400 FedExCup points per player, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are awarded. The winning team also secures invitations to marquee events for the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and The PGA Championship, plus an exemption to return to the Zurich Classic for the next two years. Sky Sports will broadcast every round live.
Early‑round coverage begins at 1 p.m. on Thursday on Sky Sports Golf, with full coverage kicking in at 8 p.m.
The second round starts at 1.45 p.m. on Friday, again moving to full coverage at 8 p.m.
Weekend action will be shown from 2 p.m. with full coverage from 6 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Alongside the Zurich Classic, Sky Sports will also air the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Classic, on Sky Sports Main Event.
With a blend of seasoned major champions, rising stars, and seasoned veterans, the Zurich Classic promises a thrilling week of golf. Will Koepka and Lowry’s friendship and complementary skill sets be enough to lift them to the top, or will a surprise team emerge from the deep field? Tune in throughout the week on Sky Sports to find out.