A par on the first playoff hole was enough for Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry to take the victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a pairs tournament of the PGA Tour that has been held on the TPC Louisiana course.
The Irishmen defeated the heroes of the day, Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey, authors of an anthological round of 63 strokes in foursome, equalling the best record in the history of this tournament in that format. They went out to play much earlier and had to wait until the end to find out if the fantastic -25 they had posted in the clubhouse would be enough or not.
It was close to being so. The wind was biting in Avondale, Louisiana, and the bogeys were falling in the last holes. McIlroy and Lowry (round of 68 strokes on Sunday) fought a great battle, an exchange of blows from which they emerged victorious, although they spent many minutes lying on the canvas. It was Rory who best supported the pair. He holed a key putt on the 16th from about four metres, signed a galactic approach on the 18th and repeated with a great bunker shot on the only playoff hole.
Lowry knew how to accompany him well, he made some important putts like the one on the 11th, for birdie, but he was generally in Rory’s wake, who lifts the trophy in his first appearance in the tournament. An appearance that began to be talked about minutes after the end of the Ryder Cup, in full celebration, and that was finally closed at Christmas. “Rory gave me the best possible Christmas gift,” Shane said.
McIlroy and Lowry always took the initiative on the playoff hole. Rory hit a great drive and Ramey missed the second shot to green by a lot. Trainer also didn’t sign a good approach, while Lowry opened the door with a second shot that was nothing special and ended up in the bunker. Rory made a very good bunker shot and left it about two and a half metres for birdie. It was in Lowry’s hands. The Americans had left a par putt of a metre and a half.
But Lowry missed and swore in Aramaic. Everything pointed to a new playoff hole, but Trainer missed the putt. He put his hand in blatantly and victory for the Irishmen, reminding who is in charge at the moment in the Ryder Cup. Welcome that lucky clover they had painted on their ball the faithful followers of St. Patrick.
It is the 26th victory for McIlroy on the PGA Tour and the fourth for Lowry. Needless to say, it would have solved the next two years for Ramey and Trainer, while for the Europeans it doesn’t change much, beyond the prestige and glory of victory. But that’s sport and it doesn’t understand sentimentality.
On the other hand, Jorge Campillo and Vincent Norrman (-13) were unable to take advantage of the last round to recover positions. Quite the contrary. They had an abrupt end of round, with a double bogey and a bogey on the 16th and 17th, signed 74 strokes (+2) and finished in the penultimate position of the tournament. They will add FedEx Cup points, but it is inevitable to have the feeling that they have missed a good opportunity to give a good stretch in the American ranking.
Final results of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans
