An all-Irish team is looking to take down the PGA Tour's annual team event in New Orleans.
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are confirmed as a committed duo to play in the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, which will be played April 25-28 at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La. The tournament made the announcement after the Valspar Championship, with both players confirming.
The Ryder Cup stars have come together to form the Irish superpowers, looking to win the duos event played two weeks after the Masters. McIlroy could be setting himself up to play four weeks in a row on the PGA Tour, as he's expected to play in the Valero Texas Open, then the Masters. If he plays in the RBC Heritage, the Signature event on Hilton Head Island, and then the Zurich Classic, he would be looking at four weeks in a row -- and then a layoff leading into the PGA Championship.
McIlroy seems to be playing more frequently in 2024 compared to last year, including McIlroy skipping the post-Masters tournament at Harbour Town to jeopardize his share of the PGA Tour Player Impact Program bonus pool money. The Ulsterman will be making his tournament debut at TPC Lousiana.
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Lowry, though, is no stranger to the team event. He has made three prior appearances in the Zurich Classic since it has become a team event. In his prior start in 2022, he finished T-13 with Ian Poulter.
The Zurich Classic field is 160 players as 80 teams of two. The top 80 players in the PGA Tour's priority ranking that committed to the field got to pick their partner, so long as they had some kind of PGA Tour status or garnered a sponsor exemption.
The Zurich Classic format is still a 72-hole event. The first and third rounds will be played as best ball (fourballs) at TPC Louisiana. The second and final rounds will play under alternate shot (foursomes) rules. A 36-hole cut will be made down to the top 33 teams and ties (down from the top 35 and ties in 2019).