Shane Lowry has revealed that he was rejected by around 10 to 12 fellow golfers before eventually finding a partner in Brooks Koepka for this year's Zurich Classic. The Irishman was left without a teammate after Rory McIlroy decided to skip the tournament in New Orleans to recover from his recent Masters victory.
McIlroy's Withdrawal
McIlroy and Lowry had been a successful duo in the Zurich Classic, winning the event in 2024 and competing together for the past two years. However, after securing his second consecutive Masters title earlier this month, McIlroy informed Lowry that he would not be able to participate in the Louisiana tournament due to fatigue. The prize fund for this year's event stands at £7.1 million ($9.5 million).
Lowry's Search for a Partner
Speaking to The Golf Channel, Lowry explained the difficulty he faced in finding a replacement. 'I asked about 10 or 12 other guys first and they all said no. Rory quickly said after last year, I don't think he wanted to come back,' Lowry said. 'It wasn't until the end of the year I was doing my schedule, and I was going to add this in, that I knew I needed to start looking for a new teammate.'
Lowry eventually approached five-time major champion Brooks Koepka after meeting him at a practice facility in Florida just after Christmas. 'I met Brooks down in Florida at a place where we both practice just after Christmas and mentioned that I might need a partner for New Orleans,' Lowry recounted. 'He said he'd be up for it and it kind of went from there. I said it to his caddy, Ricky [Elliott], a couple of weeks later. Then I saw Brooks a few weeks after that and said, are we going to tee it up together? And he said yes. So, nice to be here.'
Koepka's Agreement
Koepka confirmed the conversation took place with McIlroy present. 'He was actually sitting at a table with Rory when he asked me. I think it was either December or January. I forget what it was. It was around that time. I think at the time when he asked me, I wasn't sure what my playing schedule was going to be,' Koepka said. 'I'm just happy to be here and happy to be a part of it. I'm thankful to have a good partner and we'll see how the week goes.'
An Unlikely Partnership
Lowry acknowledged that their partnership might seem unusual given their contrasting personalities. Koepka is known for his intense, no-nonsense demeanor, while Lowry is often seen smiling. 'On the outside, it might not look like it makes sense, but to us it does,' Lowry explained. 'I think the ball, everything about it, you know, we do have a good relationship and we're going to have a good bit of fun out there.'
Despite the positive outlook, their partnership got off to a rocky start as they failed to make the cut in New Orleans, playing alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Fitzpatrick.
