Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, the high-profile duo who entered the Zurich Classic of New Orleans together, were unable to survive the cut, missing it by a single stroke after the first two rounds. Their early exit came despite a promising start, and the tournament now looks set to be decided by the Fitzpatrick brothers and a handful of other teams still in contention. Lowry, who captured the Zurich Classic title two years ago when he paired with Rory McIlroy, returned this year without his former partner, who is not playing this edition.
Instead, the Irishman teamed up with five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, hoping that the combination of Lowry's consistency and Koepka's power would be enough to make a deep run. The pair opened with a solid 66 in the four‑ball format on Thursday, followed by a 69 in the foursomes on Friday, leaving them at nine under par after 36 holes.
Unfortunately, the cut line was set at ten under, leaving them just one shot short of the weekend. Meanwhile, English brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick produced a spectacular surge on Friday. Alex posted a seven‑under 65, while Matt also carded an impressive round, propelling the duo into a shared second‑place position after the halfway point.
Their performance put them within striking distance of the leaders, the American team of Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who had already secured the top spot with a back‑to‑back birdie finish that gave them a 70‑stroke round and a total of 16 under par. The Fitzpatrick pair trailed Smalley and Springer by six strokes going into the Friday foursomes, but they responded with the lowest round of the day, narrowing the gap to a single stroke heading into Saturday.
The potential victory in New Orleans would be a fitting climax to an extraordinary few months for Matt Fitzpatrick. He has risen to No.
3 in the Official World Golf Rankings after winning the Valspar Championship and then clinching the RBC Heritage in a dramatic playoff against world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Alex, who earned his first DP World Tour title at the Hero Indian Open in March, is also riding a wave of confidence.
The brothers had attempted the Zurich Classic last year but fell short, missing the cut by two strokes. Joining the Fitzpatricks in the second‑place pack are Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat, as well as Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge, all sitting at 15 under par. Englishman Aaron Rai, paired with American Sahith Theegala, is also in the mix at 12 under, while fellow English players Matt Wallace and Marco Penge sit just a shot behind at 11 under.
The Zurich Classic remains the PGA Tour's sole team event, featuring 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 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. If a tie persists after 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff determines the champion. This year the tournament carries a larger purse than before, having been increased from $9.2 million to $9.5 million.
The winning duo will split roughly 14.45 percent of that total, translating to about $1.372 million each. In addition to the monetary reward, each player on the victorious team will earn 400 FedExCup points, although no Official World Golf Ranking points are on offer.
The triumph also grants the winners invitations to marquee events in the 2027 season, including The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, as well as an exemption to compete in the Zurich Classic for the next two years. While Lowry and Koepka's early departure may be disappointing for their fans, the tournament still promises an exciting finish as the Fitzpatrick brothers aim to capitalize on their momentum. Their recent form, combined with the strong performances of the American pair and other contenders, sets the stage for a tightly contested weekend.
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The Zurich Classic, with its unique team dynamics and heightened prize fund, continues to be a highlight of the PGA Tour calendar, and the final rounds will determine which partnership walks away with the coveted title and its associated perks.