Rory McIlroy is in action alongside Shane Lowry at this week’s Zurich Classic, having received multiple invites from a PGA Tour star to participate in the event previously.
Rory McIlroy has admitted that he turned down multiple requests from Bubba Watson to play alongside him in the Zurich Classic before making his debut this week.
McIlroy is competing in the pairs event in New Orleans alongside his Olympic teammate Shane Lowry, having never previously entered the tournament. After arriving on site at TPC Louisiana this week, McIlroy was asked if he had ever considered playing in the Zurich, and he revealed that LIV Golf star Watson had previously tried to persuade him to compete.
“Yeah, a few people have asked me over the years,” the four-time major champion admitted this week. “Bubba Watson pushed me for years to come play this with him, but I gently rejected every time…
“I guess it never lined up with my schedule and just wasn’t — this is my fourth week in a row, and it’s not as if I haven’t played four weeks in a row before, but for a fourth tournament in a row, something like this that is a little more relaxed, not as much pressure, I thought it would be a good thing to do.”
This time, however, the Northern Irishman has chosen the New Orleans course and is accompanied by his good friend Lowry. The pair were part of Europe’s winning Ryder Cup team in Rome last autumn, and they stated that an evening celebrating their success over their American opponents prompted their entry this week.
“I basically didn’t want to ask Rory because I didn’t think that he would want to come and play,” he said. “Then he repeated it to me, and I answered, yes. Yes, we discussed it, and I believe Rory mentioned it on the Wednesday following the Ryder Cup. We had a few beers together.
“We talked about it that day, and then he texted me around Christmastime, which was a great little Christmas surprise for me to get. Yeah, I’m pleased to be here with him. I enjoy playing golf from the middle of the fairway, so I am looking forward to this week.” McIlroy and Lowry have excelled as a team since their debut together.
The pair shot a bogey-free 11-under-par 61 in Thursday’s opening round, where the tournament uses a better ball format, with both players playing their own ball and the best score between them contributing towards the scorecard. Friday’s second round featured a slightly difficult structure, with the duo playing the same ball and using alternate shots.
They then shot a two-under 70 in the second round to tie Aaron Rai and David Lipsky for the clubhouse lead at 13-under. The field will return to the better ball format for Saturday’s third round, before switching back to alternative shot for the last 18 holes on Sunday.
