Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka are set to join forces for this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA Tour’s sole team‑based competition, which will be played at TPC Louisiana. Their partnership adds another intriguing storyline to a field of 80 two‑man teams all vying for the coveted title.
The defending champions, Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak, will be back after edging out the Danish brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard by a single stroke to capture the 2025 edition. Griffin and Novak will be looking to repeat their success, but the arrival of Koepka and Lowry introduces fresh firepower. Lowry’s recent history at the Zurich Classic is closely linked with Rory McIlroy.
Over the past two years the Irishman and the Northern Irish star formed a winning duo, clinching the 2024 tournament after a dramatic playoff against Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey. Their victory was celebrated in a memorable fashion: the pair performed a rousing rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” on stage, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The partnership between McIlroy and Lowry was born out of a light‑hearted, "drunken lunch" following Team Europe’s triumph at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.
As McIlroy recounted to GOLF.com, “I asked him to play, we were having a 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.’” This week, however, Lowry will be paired with five‑time major champion Brooks Koepka.
Koepka rejoined the PGA Tour in January after a four‑year stint with LIV Golf, and his return adds a significant boost to the Irishman’s lineup. Both players live in Florida and have faced each other on opposite Ryder Cup sides in the past, yet they remain close friends, making their collaboration feel natural.
Together, Lowry and Koepka bring a combined six major championships to the table. Lowry captured The Open Championship in 2019 at Royal Portrush and has contributed to two victorious Ryder Cup teams. Koepka, meanwhile, boasts five major titles, including two U.S.
Opens and three PGA Championships, cementing his reputation as one of the modern era’s most dominant players in major‑tournament golf. While they are among the favorites, the competition is fierce.
Matt Fitzpatrick, fresh off a second PGA Tour win of the season, will be paired with 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, riding the momentum of his maiden DP World Tour win at the Hero Indian Open, will be eager to improve on last year’s missed cut. Rookie Marco Penge, a long‑driver from England, makes his Zurich Classic debut alongside fellow Englishman Matt Wallace. Penge’s best finish to date on the PGA Tour is a tied‑fourth at the Valspar Championship, and he hopes to translate that form into a strong team showing.
Aaron Rai will also return to the field, paired with Sahith Theegala, who has already posted four top‑10 finishes this season. The Zurich Classic’s format is unique on the PGA Tour. The first and third rounds are played as four‑ball, where each player hits his own ball and the lower of the two scores on each hole counts for the team. The second and final rounds switch to foursomes, a true alternate‑shot format where teammates share a single ball and take turns teeing off on odd and even holes.
After 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend. In 2025 the cut line was –10, and notable players such as Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama missed the weekend.
If a tie remains after the full 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff will determine the champions. The prize pool has been increased this year from $9.2 million to $9.5 million, with the winning duo splitting roughly 14.45 percent—about $1.372 million each. In addition to the cash, each winner receives 400 FedExCup points, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are awarded for the event. Beyond the immediate rewards, the victorious team earns exemptions into several marquee tournaments for the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, as well as an automatic invitation to the Zurich Classic for the following 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 rolling out at 8 p.m.
The second round starts at 1.45 p.m. on Friday, again with full evening coverage. Weekend play will be shown from 2 p.m.
with comprehensive evening programming at 6 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. The Zurich Classic will run alongside the first women’s major of the year, the Chevron Classic, which also debuts on Thursday on Sky Sports Main Event.
Golf fans can follow the drama throughout the week and see which partnership—whether it’s Koepka‑Lowry, the Fitzpatrick brothers, or another duo—will hoist the trophy. In summary, the Zurich Classic offers a rare blend of camaraderie, strategic formats, and high stakes. With Koepka’s power game and Lowry’s precision, the Irish‑American pair have a legitimate shot at adding their names to the list of past winners, but they must navigate a field stacked with talent and experience.
The tournament promises excitement from the opening tee shot to the potential sudden‑death showdown, making it a must‑watch event for any golf enthusiast.