Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry defend Zurich Classic golf title: Field, format and prize money for PGA Tour team event
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a team event on the PGA Tour at TPC Louisiana; Rory McIlroy and Ryder Cup team-mate Shane Lowry are the defending champions; Watch live on Thursday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf, with full coverage from 8pm
Tuesday 22 April 2025 20:03, UK
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry will defend their title at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans after the newly crowned Masters champion won on his debut at the PGA Tour team event in 2024.
The Northern Irishman's appearance is his first since becoming just the sixth player ever to complete the Grand Slam after a dramatic play-off victory over Justin Rose at Augusta National, where he let a four-shot lead slip over the closing holes before winning on the first extra hole.
Prior to finally donning the Green Jacket, McIlroy kicked off his year on the DP World Tour, finishing tied fourth at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic as he returned to the UAE two months after winning the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
After sitting out the RBC Heritage, where Justin Thomas picked up his first PGA Tour win since 2022, McIlroy returns alongside Lowry in the tournament they decided to play in following a "drunken lunch" celebrating Team Europe's Ryder Cup victory in Rome back in 2024.
Their victory a year ago came through a play-off, beating Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey, Trainer coming up short in his effort to reach the green before missing a par putt which gave McIlory and Lowry the win.
McIlroy and Lowry went on to give a now infamous rendition of Journey's hit 'Don't Stop Believin' in celebration.
Who else is playing this week?
Matt Fitzpatrick will partner his brother Alex, while the Hojgaard brothers - Rasmus and Nicolai - also form to make a team.
Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald teams up with Camilo Villegas, while two-time major champion Collin Morikawa pairs up with Kurt Kitayama.
Former winner Billy Horschel partners Tom Hoge as Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala join forces, Thomas Detry pairs up with Bob McIntyre, and 2023 champions Nick Hardy and Davis Riley return.
How does the event work and what is the format?
The 80 two-man teams feature in fourballs during the opening round, where players each play their own ball and the best score on each hole from the pair goes towards the team total, then the format switches to foursomes play for the second round.
Foursomes sees each team use one ball, with one player hitting tee shots on all the odd-numbered holes and the other on the even-numbered ones. The players then hit alternate shots, with the total strokes taken resulting in the team's score for that hole.
The top 33 teams and ties progress to the weekend, where the teams revert to fourballs for the third round and foursomes for Sunday's final round. Should the tournament end in a tie after 72 holes, the formats will switch between the two different formats for each hole required for the sudden-death playoff.
What is the prize?
The players in the winning team will both receive a two-year winner's exemption on the PGA Tour and will be eligible for next month's PGA Championship, plus increase their hopes of qualifying for PGA Tour Signature Events.
FedExCup points and prize money will be awarded to teams making the cut, with each team member receiving an equal share for their final position, although no world ranking points are on offer.
Each player in the winning team will earn 400 FedExCup points and a record $1,329,400 prize money, with the rest of the $9,200,000 purse awarded to teams based on combining every two positions from the distribution table for a standard PGA Tour event.
When is the tournament on Sky Sports?
Sky Sports will show live action across the four tournament days, with early coverage from 12.30pm on Thursday and 1.45pm on Friday ahead of full coverage from 8pm.
Weekend coverage begins at 2pm on Saturday and 3.30pm on Sunday on Sky Sports Golf.
The PGA Tour action is alongside the first women's major of the year this week, with Nelly Korda defending her Chevron Championship title live on Sky Sports Golf.
Who will win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins with Featured Groups on Thursday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 8pm.
