Rory McIlroy will not be participating in the Zurich Classic, leaving Shane Lowry to partner with someone new. The two golfers have competed together in the team event for the past two years.
McIlroy and Lowry claimed victory in the tournament back in 2024. Last year, they finished in joint 12th place, with the two appearances the only occasions that McIlroy has featured in the event.
This year McIlroy has disclosed his intentions to reduce his PGA Tour schedule to concentrate more on the majors and spend more time with his family. The Zurich Classic is one of the events that the Northern Irishman has chosen to miss, according to GolfMagic.
In making the decision, McIlroy has passed up the opportunity of winning a share of the overall £7.1 million prize money, of which almost £1million goes to each individual winner.
It also means that Lowry has had to search for a new partner for the only team event on the PGA Tour this year.
It’s been confirmed that the Irishman will partner with Brooks Koepka. The American last competed in the event back in 2019. Alongside his brother Chase, the pair finished in 22nd position.
The Zurich Classic, held in New Orleans, sees players take part in two rounds of fourballs, with two balls in play and the best score is taken, and two rounds of foursomes, where one ball is in play, and players take alternative shots. Fourballs feature in the first and third rounds, with foursomes on the second and fourth.
The tournament is set to be played on 23-26 April, sandwiched between the RBC Heritage event (16-19 April) and the Cadillac Championship (30 April-3 May). It also arrives just a fortnight after the Masters with McIlroy aiming to defend his Green Jacket.
« Happy I got through four days and my body feels good, » he said after the tournament. « I feel like my game sort of progressively got a little bit better as the week went on, even though the scores probably didn’t reflect it over the weekend.
« I hit the ball well. I just didn’t make anything on the greens. Happy to come through four rounds and feel like my body held up well. »
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