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Rory McIlroy And Shane Lowry Win Zurich Classic Of New Orleans In Dramatic Playoff

McIlroy and Lowry came storming through the field on Sunday with a blistering fightback before claiming victory in a playoff

James Nursey
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Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry hold the Zurich Classic of New Orleans trophy

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry won at the first playoff hole with a par to see off Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Trainer and Ramey set the clubhouse target after a record-equalling nine-under-par round of 63 in foursomes for a -25 total, with overnight leaders Zac Blair and Patrick Fishburn unable to match it after a double bogey on the par 3 17th.

But experienced Irish duo McIlroy and Lowry birdied the last to finish four-under and -25 in total as they set-up a play-off on the par 5 18th which they handled much better than Ramsey and Trainer, who bogeyed the hole.

McIlroy, celebrating his 25th PGA Tour win, said: "It feels absolutely amazing. To get the support and have so much fun, it has been awesome. It couldn't be better to have this man alongside me to get a PGA Tour win. I would say we are going to come back and defend next year."

McIlroy and Lowry each get 400 FedEx Cup points for the win and $1.268 million apiece. Lowry said: "Rory carried me a lot of the way. We have had the best week and anytime this man wants me to partner him, I would be happy to."

Zurich Classic Of New Orleans Leaderboard

  • -25 RAMEY/TRAINER, MCILROY/LOWRY
  • -24 BREHM/HUBBARD
  • -23 HIGGO/FOX, STEVENS/BARJON, ECHAVARRIA/GREYSERMAN, BLAIR/FISHBURN 

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James Nursey
James Nursey
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LEADERS LOOKING FOR BIGGEST WIN OF THEIR PARTNERSHIP

Long-term pals Zac Blair and Patrick Fishburn are both are searching for their first PGA Tour titles and tee off in the final pairing in 15 minutes. 

FITZPATRICK BROTHERS MAKE A MOVE AT THE TURN

English brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick have moved up to -19, and -2 today, with a birdie at the par 3 ninth to get to tied 14th. It is their fourth birdie but unfortunately the brothers have also had two bogeys. 

BIG-NAME PAIRING OF McILROY AND LOWRY UNDERWAY

McIroy and Irish compatriot Lowry were welcomed on to the first tee by some Irish music but Lowry has teed off with a fairway wood and missed the fairway well into the right hand trouble in the trees. They are already looking like dropping a shot.

Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy

(Image credit: Sky Sports)

LOWRY AND McILROY DROP A SHOT AT OPENER

Lowry and McIlroy's preparations on the range looked in sync but the Irish duo have bogeyed the first after failing to get up and down from about 60 yards. 

RAMEY AND TRAINER REEL OFF FOURTH STRAIGHT BIRDIE 

Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer have stormed to joint top of the leaderboard with four straight birdies on 10,11,12 and 13. They have a chance to post a decent clubhouse total.

McILROY AND LOWRY LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK ON SECOND

After dropping a shot on the first to slip back to -20 and into a tie for 11th, the Irish pairing have a chance to pick up potentially two shots on the par 5 second after Lowry fired in an approach with a 7iron after a booming drive by his playing partner. Rory leaves his eagle putt short but Lowry taps in for birdie.

Rory McIlroy in action at Zurich Classic

(Image credit: Getty Images)

NEW LEADERS AS RAMEY AND TRAINER MARCH ON

Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer are now clear on their own at the top after a fifth successive birdie. What a back nine they are having as they head to the 15th tee but the overnight leaders Blair and Fishburn have a great look at birdie on the second after Fishburn fired in a wedge so they have a chance to get to -24 too. 

LOWRY AND McILROY DROP ANOTHER SHOT ON THE THIRD

Things are not looking promising for Lowry and McIlroy's prospects with the duo going bogey, birdie and now bogey again. Lowry just missed a short bogey putt on the par three third to slip to +1 for the day. They finally make their first par on the fourth. 

BARJON AND STEVENS IN THE CLUBHOUSE ON -23 

Paul Barjon of France and partner Sam Stevens have finished with an impressive -8 round to storm up the leaderboard but their -23 total is unlikely to be enough.

FORECAST FOR 30MPH GUSTS OF WIND

Everyone is aiming to get into the clubhouse with a decent score with the wind picking up and gusts of 30 mph predicted. The Fitzpatrick brothers are -20 with four holes left and need a big finish.

BLAIR AND FISHBURN BACK INFRONT ON THEIR OWN

Blair and Fishburn have just birdied the fifth to get to -2 for the day and -25 in total to take the lead on their own once again. This duo don't seem to be going away. 

RAMEY AND TRAINER WILL STICK AROUND AFTER POSTING FINE TOTAL

Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer have a great chance to get to -25 after finding the par 5 18th in two. They miss their eagle attempt but have a short birdie putt for their 11th birdie today which they convert for a stunning round of 63 and a -25 total which belies their 134th and 171st positions in the FedEx Cup rankings. After their round tied the record in this competition, Trainer said: "It worked out great. Chad really did well with his irons and I sprinkled some putts in there." Ramey said: "We were firing on all cylinders and it was a great round."

BLAIR AND FISHBURN HAVE AN EAGLE CHANCE ON 7TH

What a fantastic approach from Patrick Fishburn on the seventh with a 250-yard approach to six foot at the par 5. They will have a putt to jump back to the top of the leaderboard. But they have to settle for a birdie after Blair pulls the first putt. 

McILROY AND LOWRY BACK IN IT AFTER SUCCESSIVE BIRDIES

Successive birdies on the seventh and eighth have got the Irish pair to -1 and -22 in total in a tie for sixth. McIlory teed up a birdie on the eighth with a monster drive at the 379-yard par four which carried 328 yards to leave Lowry with a chip from the fringe of the green. They have since parred the ninth.

BLAIR AND FISHBURN SET-UP LATEST POTENTIAL BIRDIE

Impressive approach from Blair on the short par four eighth with a wedge to leave a close-range birdie putt for his long-time friend Lisburn which they convert to take the lead on their own at -26 and -3 for the day.

LEADERS IN TROUBLE AT NINTH AS BLAIR FINDS THE WATER

Nightmare for the leaders at the par 3 ninth where, after just making a birdie, Blair has drawn his tee shot into the drink. Fishburn has taken a drop and Blair will have a putt for bogey which he misses as leaders drop two shots and slip to -24. 

McILROY AND LOWRY RECORD FOURTH BIRDIE IN FIVE HOLES

McIlroy and Lowry are now just two shots off the lead after a costly double bogey for Blair and Lisburn. The Irish duo have meanwhile birdied 10th for their third birdie in four holes. McIlroy's driver is dialled in and he is booming it to leave Lowry some short wedges, which is his strength as their approach paid dividends on the par 5 11th.

MCILROY SMOKES A DRIVER DOWN 12TH FAIRWAY 

McIlroy is really nailing his driver today and he has just fired another huge drive down the 12th fairway before Lowry cuts in an approach on to the green to tee up another birdie look from six-eight foot at the par 4 12th, which is 471 yards long. Rory's attempt, using Lowry's Srixon ball, slides by though and they remain one shot back.

LOWRY FINDS THE FAIRWAY AT THE 13TH

Lowry keeps his momentum going with McIlroy in this foursomes format with a good drive down the 13th fairway but they get a bad break as their ball ends in a sand filled divot which leads to McIlroy chunking his wedge well short of the green. However Lowry chips up close and McIlroy saves par. Ryan Brehm by comparison managed to drive the green at the 391 yard par four with a draw at the dogleg and he makes a birdie with Mark Hubbard to get to -23.

McILROY FIRES IN A BRILLIANT TEE SHOT AT PAR 3 14TH

Huge club twirl from Rory on the 14th after hitting his tee shot at the 193-yard par 3 to about five feet to give his partner Lowry a chance to put them level at the top of the leaderboard. Lowry's effort never looks like going in though as it misses by a good couple of inches on the left as the former Open champion continues to struggle this season with the short stick. But it is still a par for the Irishmen who are one back.

McILROY AND LOWRY ON THE 15TH IN REGULATION

McIlroy and Lowry have an outside chance of a birdie on the 15th after finding the par four in regulation after McIlroy fired in an approach. Lowry's attempt misses and it is another par.

Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy

(Image credit: Getty Images)

McILROY PUTS LOWRY IN SAND ON 16TH BUT MAKES BIRDIE

McIlroy looks dejected on the par 4 16th after taking an iron for safety off the tee which he sticks in a bunker. But they will still have a look at birdie after a superb approach from Lowry. McIlroy then makes it with a 12-foot snaking left-to right curler which saw him fist-pump after they reached -4.

Rory McIlroy in final round of Zurich Classic

(Image credit: Getty Images)

LOWRY MISSES 17TH GREEN TO THE RIGHT BUT GETS A DROP

With water to the left of the par 3 17th green, Lowry has bailed out right with his tee shot. He and McIlroy got a free drop after being impeded by a TV tower.  Rory has chipped it back on to the green but his ball didn't spin and Lowry now has 15-foot putt now for par which slides by.

McILROY BOMBS DRIVE AND CHIPS UP CLOSE TO TEE UP BIRDIE PUTT

With Ramey and Trainer in the clubhouse on -25, McIlroy and Lowry need a birdie up the last to force a potential play-off. An eagle could win it for them but Lowry has pulled his approach and missed the green on the left. However McIlroy has got them out of jail with a stunning chip to about three feet to tee up a potential birdie which Lowry converts for a -4 final round and -25 total.

SPARE A THOUGHT FOR OVERNIGHT LEADERS ZAC BLAIR AND PATRICK FISHBURN

Blair and Fishburn, who have never won on tour before, were the overnight leaders and led today at various stages. However costly double bogeys on the par 3 ninth and 17th have killed their dreams off. They came up the last needing an eagle to get in the play-off but missed the green in two.

PLAY-OFF TIME IN NEW ORLEANS DOWN THE 18TH IN FOURSOMES

Here we go then with McIlroy and Lowry and Ramey and Trainer heading back down the par 5 18th to play-off. Advantage surely with the Irish duo who are fresh off the course while Ramey and Trainer have been cooling their heels in the club house after finishing three hours ago.

TRAINER AND McILROY TEE OFF ON FIRST PLAY-OFF HOLE 

Trainer has teed off first at the par 5 18th and missed the fairway on the left. McIlroy found the fairway but his strike was not vintage. 

RAMEY AND LOWRY BOTH FAIL TO HIT THE GREEN 

Ramey has pulled his approach way left at the par 5 18th to leave a tricky chip for foursomes partner Trainer. While Lowry's approach has come up short and is in the sand. 

ADVANTAGE McILROY AND LOWRY AFTER TRAINER CHUNKS CHIP

Trainer has just duffed his chip and come up short of the green with his and Ramsey's third shot. McIlory has then splashed out of the sand to around six-eight feet and the Irish duo are likely to have potentially two putts to win this.

LOWRY HAS A PUTT FOR THE TITLE

Ramey and Trainer have played four and are about four feet away. Lowry has a 10 foot up hill putt for the title which nestles on the side of the hole but doesn't drop. Now Trainer has to knock in a testing par putt to continue the play-off which he misses with a push to the right. 

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