Zurich Classic 2026: All 80 teams confirmed; field highlighted by new pairing Koepka and Lowry

The headline act heading into the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans is undoubtedly the brand-new partnership of Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry, as the PGA Tour’s only official team event returns to TPC Louisiana from 23–26 April.

In a field packed with established duos, emerging talents and some intriguing one-off collaborations, the Koepka–Lowry pairing immediately stands out as one of the most compelling storylines of the week.

Lowry, who has enjoyed significant success in this event in recent seasons, had formed a highly effective partnership with Rory McIlroy over the past two years. The all-Irish duo captured the Zurich Classic title in 2024 before finishing tied 12th in their title defence in 2025.

However, with McIlroy trimming his schedule this season following a demanding run of commitments – and fresh off successfully defending his Masters title at Augusta National – the six-time major champion has opted to spend more time away from the weekly grind.

That decision has opened the door for Lowry to pursue a new partnership, and he has wasted no time in teaming up with close friend and five-time major champion Koepka, who returned to full PGA Tour competition earlier this season after four years competing on LIV Golf.

On paper, it is a partnership that makes considerable sense. 

Beyond their long-standing friendship, both players are Srixon staffers and use closely aligned Z-STAR golf ball models, a factor that becomes particularly important in the alternating-shot foursomes format.

The Zurich Classic alternates between fourballs and foursomes: Thursday and Saturday are played in fourball (best ball), while Friday and Sunday feature foursomes (alternate shot), placing a premium on compatibility, strategy and shared equipment understanding.

Koepka’s elite major pedigree combined with Lowry’s consistency and touch around TPC Louisiana creates a pairing that will instantly attract attention across all four rounds.

Format, field and prize fund

The 2026 Zurich Classic once again features a field of 80 teams (160 players), making it one of the most distinctive events on the PGA Tour schedule.

• Round 1 & 3: Fourball (best ball)
• Round 2 & 4: Foursomes (alternate shot)
• Course: TPC Louisiana
• Dates: 23–26 April 2026
• Prize fund: $9.5 million
• Winners’ share (per player): $1,372,750

The format places a unique emphasis on chemistry. While fourball allows for aggressive scoring and individual brilliance, foursomes often exposes any mismatch in rhythm, strategy or equipment preference.

Teams are formed via a simple but strategic structure: PGA Tour players from the Priority Ranking select their partners, provided those players hold PGA Tour status or receive sponsor exemptions.

While Koepka and Lowry lead the pre-tournament narrative, several other partnerships stand out:

• Matt Fitzpatrick & Alex Fitzpatrick: The English brothers reunite, with Alex arriving off a maiden DP World Tour victory.
• Ben Griffin & Andrew Novak: The American duo will look to become the first ever team to successfully defend the title.
• Matt Wallace & Marco Penge: Brand new English pairing who both like to play aggressive, attacking golf. 

Check out all of the teams below...

2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans: The Teams

Below is the complete list of confirmed pairings for the 2026 Zurich Classic: