Team Shane Lowry/Rory McIlroy drains birdie putt from the fringe at Zurich Classic
Written by Paul Hodowanic
There were no Irish sing-alongs in New Orleans on Sunday evening as Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry fell short in their title defense at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
McIlroy and Lowry mounted a final round charge to win in the Bayou State last year but were unable to conjure the same Sunday surge, managing just three birdies in the Foursomes to shoot even-par 72. The Irishmen finished in a tie for 12th at 22-under.
It was a poor back nine that did McIlroy and Lowry in. The Irishmen were flirting with contention after opening in 2-under 34, but made three uncharacteristic bogeys coming into the clubhouse. At the drivable par-4 13th, the duo three-putted from 28 feet to drop a shot. Lowry missed the fairway on the par-4 15th, and McIlroy couldn’t hold the green with his approach, leading to another bogey. Another pair of sub-par shots on the par-3 17th led to a 12-foot par putt, which Lowry missed.
“Just didn’t really have any momentum from when we started back up again, and it was difficult to just sort of get anything,” said McIlroy, referencing the weather delay that stopped play for more than an hour. McIlroy and Lowry were in the 11th fairway when play was suspended.
“We noticed the greens got pretty fast and pretty firm after the delay, too, so got a little tougher,” McIlroy added.
Rory McIlroy sinks emphatic 30-foot eagle putt after weather delay to close out round at Zurich Classic
This week’s event was McIlroy’s first start since winning the Masters and completing the career Grand Slam. McIlroy spent last week in London with his wife, Erica, and their daughter, Poppy, before making the trip to Belfast, where he spent time with his parents and plenty others who have been on the journey with him for the last decade-plus, which, he said, was “absolutely amazing.”
With the green jacket in tow, the major drought over and a load of confidence, McIlroy put limited pressure on himself in his return, hoping only to have a good time with Lowry, his closest friend.
“As long as we keep having fun out there, that’ll be the best way for us to get the best out of ourselves,” McIlroy said Saturday.
And despite the closing run of bogeys, it was all smiles for the best friends as they reached the 18th green. Lowry poured in a birdie from the back fringe, leading to a laugh from McIlroy and a half-hearted fist pump. The two shared a hug in nearly the same spot they did a year earlier. It wasn’t celebrating a win, but it was celebrating another memory made for the duo.
Shane Lowry dances wedge around the hole for birdie at Zurich Classic
“It was nice to come and try and defend,” Lowry said. I think we did a good job for the most part. I think we played all right, just today nothing really happened for us, and then after the delay we just went – everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I had a great week. I’m happy my man came here this week, and we had a great time, and it was fun.”
McIlroy, still a bit tired from the post-Masters festivities, agreed.
“It’s always good to team up with this man,” McIlroy said. “We’ve had fun.”
