Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry Defend Title at Zurich Classic

NEW ORLEANS, La. — The 2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans begins Thursday, April 24, featuring a unique team event where players pair up to compete at TPC Louisiana. Defending champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are ready to start their title defense, teeing off at 8:52 a.m. ET alongside Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge.

McIlroy, currently ranked World No. 2, is coming off a historic victory at the Masters, aiming to continue his winning streak with Lowry, who ranks No. 13. Last year, the duo claimed their title in thrilling fashion, and they are regarded as a strong contender again this year.

This year’s tournament will see 80 two-man teams competing over four days. The format for the first round will be four-ball, meaning each player will play their ball independently, and the team will take the lower score for each hole. The format will switch to foursomes, or alternate shots, on Friday.

Other notable pairings this year include world No. 4 Collin Morikawa teaming up with Kurt Kitayama, and Billy Horschel alongside Tom Hoge. Notably, the tournament will also feature sibling teams, such as Matt Fitzpatrick playing with his brother Alex and twins Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard.

Coverage of the tournament will be available exclusively on ESPN+, which will stream live starting at 8 a.m. ET. Golf Channel will broadcast Thursday’s action from 3-6 p.m. ET, with CBS taking over for the final rounds.

The event has a total purse of $9.2 million, with the winning team set to earn $1.656 million each. Betting experts have listed McIlroy and Lowry as favorites at +350 odds, followed by Morikawa and Kitayama at +1400 and Horschel and Hoge at +1600.

As excitement builds for the Zurich Classic, fans are eager to see if McIlroy and Lowry can defend their title or if another duo will seize the opportunity and claim the trophy. Different underdog teams, including Joel Dahmen and Harry Higgs at 80-1 odds, are also buzzing with potential for an upset.

Mark your calendars for April 24-27, 2025, for this thrilling display of golf, showcasing the camaraderie and competition that defines the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.