Shane Lowry’s selection to interchange Rory McIlroy on the Zurich Classic was made proper in entrance of the Masters champion
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry did not reunite as team-mates for golf’s Zurich Classic(Image: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy was there when Shane Lowry learnt of his decision to withdraw as his accomplice within the Zurich Classic. The reigning Masters champion has taken half within the New Orleans-based event – the place prize cash stands at £7.1million ($9.5m) this yr – alongside Lowry for the earlier two years with the duo claiming victory in 2024.
Yet, after securing his second successive triumph at Augusta, Lowry disclosed the Northern Irishman had informed him he intended to miss the Louisiana tournament in order to recuperate following his efforts in Georgia.
Left with no accomplice, the Irishman confessed he approached several golfers who turned him down earlier than reaching an association with five-time main winner Brooks Koepka.
Explaining the journey that led him to ultimately becoming a member of forces with Koepka, Lowry instructed The Golf Channel: “I asked about 10 or 12 other guys first and they all said no. Rory quickly said after last year, I don’t think he wanted to come back.
“It wasn’t till the tip of the yr I used to be doing my schedule, and I used to be going so as to add this in, that I knew I wanted to start out in search of a brand new teammate. I met Brooks down in Florida at a spot the place we each follow simply after Christmas and talked about that I’d want a accomplice for New Orleans.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy’s behaviour in the spotlight as major claim made about Masters winnerREAD MORE: Rory McIlroy’s decision to ditch Shane Lowry and why Ryder Cup pal skipped Masters celebrations
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“He said he’d be up for it and it kind of went from there. I said it to his caddy, Ricky [Elliott], a couple of weeks later. Then I saw Brooks a few weeks after that and said, are we going to tee it up together? And he said yes. So, nice to be here.”
“You have to have multiple majors to be able to team up with me in this tournament. It’s good that he said yes.” The deal to pair up was struck with McIlroy current, sat alongside Lowry when the 39-year-old put the proposition to the American.
Koepka confirmed: “I remember it. He was actually sitting at a table with Rory when he asked me. I think it was either December or January. I forget what it was. It was around that time. I think at the time when he asked me, I wasn’t sure what my playing schedule was going to be.
“I’m simply glad to be right here and glad to be part of it. I’m grateful to have a great accomplice and we’ll see how the week goes.” Lowry acknowledged their partnership is an unlikely one given their starkly different personalities, with Koepka renowned for his intense, no-nonsense attitude while Lowry is rarely spotted without a grin on his face.
The Irishman defined: “On the surface, it won’t appear to be it is smart, however to us it does. I feel the ball, the whole lot about it, you already know, we do have a great relationship and we will have a great little bit of enjoyable on the market.”
Their partnership didn’t get off to the best of starts after they failed to make the cut in New Orleans while playing alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Fitzpatrick.
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