In the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry emerged victorious in a tiebreaker, marking McIlroy’s first attendance at the team competition. During the final round, McIlroy perfectly set up Lowry with a fantastic chip onto the 18th green, allowing Lowry to secure a birdie putt. These strategic moves pushed them into a tie with their American counterparts, Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey, with both duos ending on 25 under at TPC Louisiana.
Earlier in the day, the US duo, Trainer and Ramey, had moved up 26 positions to the top of the leaderboard with a score of 63, thanks to seven birdies in the last nine holes. Nonetheless, a prolonged wait of nearly three hours to verify their standing resulted in them appearing somewhat unprepared for the playoff.
The American twosome found themselves at a disadvantage when Ramey’s second stroke veered left onto a road, and Trainer fell short in his attempt to reach the green. This presented McIlroy and Lowry, both Ryder Cup teammates, a golden opportunity. Lowry, who had landed in a sand trap with his second shot, missed a putt for par. However, the team was spared when Trainer barely missed his own putt, confirming their victory. This marked McIlroy’s 25th PGA tour win.
Expressing his excitement, McIlroy commented, “It’s incredibly exciting. New Orleans has treated us very well over the week. The spectators were truly supportive, and we had a great deal of fun along the way, which made the win even more special at the end. Teaming with Lowry couldn’t have been any better.”
Lowry added, “It feels great. This win was crucial. We entered the week intending to accumulate significant points for the FedEx Cup – a whopping 400 points each. Although I feel slightly guilty sharing the points as Rory carried the team, I am thrilled nevertheless.”