Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry team up together to win Zurich Classic of New Orleans

TPC Louisiana is a par 72 and was the venue for Zurich Classic of New Orleans. This is a two-man team event with the format been fourballs for day one & three and foursomes on Friday and Sunday. The field for this event included Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay. Conditions for all four days were breezy especially with gusts of 30 miles per hour on Sunday.

Zac Blair and Patrick Fishburn shot three incredible rounds of 63,70,60 and took a one-shot lead on -23 into Sunday’s final round. The leaders played in Sunday’s final group with their nearest challengers -22 Luke List and Henrik Norlander. McIlroy & Lowry started the final round -21 due to three solid scores of 61, 70, 64. McIlroy went first on even numbered holes and Lowry teed off on odd numbered holes. McIlroy and Lowry were paired with -21 Mark Hubbard & Ryan Brehm for the final round. The Irish duo got off to a poor start with playing holes one to three in +1.

Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer -16 shot a remarkable round of 63 and set a clubhouse target on -25. Blair and Fishburn took the lead on -26 due to playing holes one to eight in -3. An exhibition of short game play by Lowry as the Irish duo kept their chances of a win alive after a front nine of -1. Blair & Fishburn dropped back to -23 due to a double bogey at the ninth hole.

McIlroy found a hot flatstick with holing birdie putts at 10 and 11 to reach -24. 54 hole leaders Blair and Fishburn responded with a birdie at 11 to return -25. Brehm and Hubbard moved up the leaderboard to -24 and were not faced by playing with McIlroy. Blair and Fishburn chances of winning came to an end with a double bogey at 17. Lowry hit an exceptional fairway bunker shot at 16 and McIlroy held a great putt to reach -25.

Lowry missed the green with his tee shot at 17 and resulted in a bogey for the Irish duo. A sensational chip shot by McIlroy at 18 and Lowry held a short-range putt to tie Ramey & Trainer on -25. The play-off took place at 18 with McIlroy and Trainer selected to hit tee shots. After two shots Trainer/Ramey ball came to rest left of the green and McIlroy/Lowry were in a bunker. McIlroy hit an excellent bunker shot and Lowry’s birdie effort ended up tap in distance and settled for a par. Trainer missed a putt to extend the play-off and Lowry & McIlroy were confirmed as winners of Zurich Classic.

This was McIlroy’s 25th PGA Tour win and hopefully it’s a timely confidence boost for the upcoming major at Valhalla. McIlroy and Lowry earned 400 FedEx Cup points and both received a check of $1,286,050. Ramey & Trainer finished second and both earned $525,100. Brehm and Hubbard finished third on -24. Blair & Fishburn, Nicolas Echavarria & Max Greyserman, Samuel Stevens & Paul Barjon and Ryan Fox & Garrick Higgo all finished tied fourth on -23. Thomas Detry & Robert MacIntyre and Greyson Sigg & Chesson Hadley made up the top 10 on -22.