Rory McIlroy’s fruitful partnership with Shane Lowry got here to an finish this weekend.
Shane Lowry’s partnership with Rory McIlroy got here to an finish this weekend (Picture: Getty)
Rory McIlroy is absent from the Zurich Basic of New Orleans this weekend for the primary time in three years, bringing an finish to his partnership with shut buddy Shane Lowry on the well-liked workforce occasion. McIlroy, 36, and Lowry, 39, have joined forces at TPC Louisiana in Avondale for the previous two years, lifting the trophy in 2024 throughout their first 12 months collectively — which additionally marked the five-time Main champion’s maiden look within the match — earlier than ending T12th in 2025.
Because the conclusion of the 2024 season, McIlroy has been scaling again his match commitments, and sadly the Zurich Basic has now fallen casualty to this trimmed schedule, after it emerged that Lowry could be teaming up with Brooks Koepka this 12 months as an alternative, although the pair finally missed the lower.
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On condition that Lowry’s most up-to-date PGA Tour victory got here alongside McIlroy on the Zurich Basic two years in the past, it represents a notable blow for the Irishman, who has already endured a difficult 2026 marketing campaign. What is going to probably sting most, nevertheless, is the absence of his closest buddy by his facet at TPC Louisiana this week – a partnership that was born out of a “drunken lunch” the pair shared again in Florida following the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, in accordance with the Irish Star.
“Very excited,” McIlroy informed Golf.com in 2024 earlier than making his inaugural look within the Zurich Basic. “I requested him [Lowry]. We had this actually drunken lunch the week after the Ryder Cup final 12 months. I stated to him, ‘Do you need to play Zurich collectively?’ We’re like, ‘Yeah.'” Because it transpired, McIlroy and Lowry stayed true to their phrase, and their partnership received off to a flying begin as they overcame Chad Ramey and Martin Coach in a play-off to say victory in 2024.
What adopted was a memorable celebration full with karaoke on stage, as McIlroy unleashed his internal rockstar by belting out Journey’s traditional anthem “Do not Cease Believin'” earlier than demonstrating his infectious occasion spirit by downing a beer in entrance of the gang.
It was a very important triumph for Lowry, marking his first PGA Tour victory since lifting The Open Championship in 2019, whereas additionally ending McIlroy’s nine-month winless run on the tour. The formidable pairing had been unable to breed the identical magic 12 months on, ending tied for twelfth place and falling six strokes in need of winners Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin, although McIlroy nonetheless insisted it had been “a enjoyable week”.
Final 12 months’s match came about only a fortnight after McIlroy gloriously accomplished the Profession Slam by clinching the Masters at Augusta Nationwide, the place he edged out Justin Rose in a gripping play-off to finish his full set of Main titles. Earlier than teeing off at TPC Louisiana with the world quantity two, Lowry had expressed his astonishment at McIlroy’s dedication to enjoying in New Orleans, however on this event, their two-year spell on the occasion has now come to an finish.
Contemplating the again damage that hampered his preparations for defending his crown at Augusta Nationwide earlier this month, it represents a wise transfer from McIlroy to take a fortnight’s relaxation following the Masters and assure he feels rejuvenated forward of a three-week interval that concludes with the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Membership subsequent month.
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