AVONDALE, LA – April 26, 2025 – Defending champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry suffered a stunning setback at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans 2025, plummeting to 8-under par after a disastrous second round at TPC Louisiana. The Irish duo, who started the day with high hopes following an 8-under 64 in Thursday’s four-ball format, faltered in Friday’s alternate-shot (foursomes) play, carding a 2-over 74—their worst team performance in recent memory. A major team mistake on the final holes cost them dearly, leaving them six shots behind leaders Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo as the tournament heads into the weekend. Fans are reeling, and questions are swirling: can McIlroy and Lowry recover?

The Zurich Classic, the PGA Tour’s only two-man team event, alternates between best-ball and foursomes formats over four rounds, with the top 33 teams making the cut after 36 holes. Salinda and Velo, a pair of PGA Tour rookies, maintained their lead at 14-under after a 3-under 69 in foursomes, buoyed by four birdies on the front nine. Meanwhile, McIlroy and Lowry, who were betting favorites at +360 odds, started Round 2 strongly, eagling the par-5 second and reaching 12-under through 12 holes. But disaster struck on the 13th when McIlroy flubbed a chip shot, leaving the ball short of the green, and Lowry compounded the error by chunking the next chip, leading to a bogey after McIlroy missed a 20-foot par putt. The meltdown continued with another bogey on the 14th, dropping them to 10-under.

The final blow came on the 18th, where Lowry’s errant tee shot landed in a bunker, forcing McIlroy to play a difficult recovery shot that found the rough. Their scramble for par failed, resulting in a third bogey in the last six holes, sealing their 2-over round and a total of 8-under for the tournament. “We just didn’t sync up today,” Lowry told Sky Sports after the round. “I let Rory down on a few shots, and we paid for it.” McIlroy, making his first start since his 2025 Masters victory, added, “It’s frustrating, but we’ve got two more rounds. We’ll fight back.”

Fans on X are buzzing with reactions. One user posted, “McIlroy and Lowry at 8-under? That collapse was painful to watch.” Another wrote, “Major team mistake? More like a major meltdown—hope they can turn it around!” The Højgaard brothers (Nicolai and Rasmus) sit at 13-under, just one shot off the lead, while teams like Kitayama/Morikawa and Davis/Svensson are at 11-under, keeping the pressure on. With Round 3 returning to the best-ball format, McIlroy and Lowry—who teed off at 10:28 a.m. today alongside Davis/Svensson—have a chance to make up ground, but they’ll need to rediscover the magic that led them to a playoff victory over Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer in 2024.

The Zurich Classic’s $9.2 million purse, with $1.329 million for each member of the winning team, adds stakes to the weekend. As Salinda and Velo aim to hold their lead, all eyes are on whether McIlroy and Lowry can overcome their shocking stumble. “We’re not out of it,” McIlroy insisted. “We’ll come out swinging tomorrow.” Will the Irish stars reclaim their form, or has their major mistake cost them a repeat title?