Fresh off his historic Masters win, Rory McIlroy is jumping right back into competition at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He’ll team up with close friend Shane Lowry to defend their title from last year’s dramatic playoff victory at TPC Louisiana.
“We’ll be there,” Lowry told reporters at the RBC Heritage. “I talked to him Wednesday morning. We’re good to go.”
Lowry made it clear he wouldn’t have held it against McIlroy for taking more time off after achieving his career Grand Slam at Augusta. “I didn’t want him to feel like he had to play because of me,” he said. “He’s not letting me down if he wanted to take some time.”
But McIlroy, after spending a few days celebrating with family and friends back in Northern Ireland, is ready to get back to business.
The tournament kicks off April 24th with an interesting format that switches between two styles of team play. Players will tackle Four-balls (where each golfer plays their own ball) in rounds 1 and 3, and Foursomes (where partners alternate shots) in rounds 2 and 4.
This year’s field is packed with some fascinating partnerships:
• Masters runner-up Collin Morikawa teams up with Kurt Kitayama
• The Fitzpatrick brothers, Matt and Alex, are back for another go
• Twin brothers Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard return for their second appearance
• Rising stars Wyndham Clark and Taylor Moore form an exciting new pairing
The event has become known for these unique pairings, mixing established stars with emerging talent and creating some compelling family storylines.
For McIlroy, it’s a chance to keep his momentum going after finally capturing that elusive green jacket. For Lowry, it’s an opportunity to help his friend make even more history while defending their title.
The tournament marks McIlroy’s first competitive rounds since that emotional Sunday at Augusta, where Lowry was among the first to congratulate him on completing golf’s career Grand Slam.
