Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry Crumble at Zurich Traditional, Unlikely Heroes Emerge

[ad_1] Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry entered Sunday's closing spherical of the PGA Tour's Zurich Traditional of New Orleans hoping to defend their title from final yr.

The Irish duo gained the one team-tournament on Tour in 2024 in a playoff.

As an alternative, a pair of unlikely golf heroes emerged victorious. Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin took residence the trophy, carding a 1-under 71 on Sunday to win by a single stroke over the Nicolai and twin brother Rasmus Hojgaard.

In the meantime, McIlroy and Lowry's hopes of repeating have been dashed after a climate delay.

"Yeah, simply did not actually have any momentum from once we began again up once more, and it was tough to simply form of get something," McIlroy stated following the spherical.

"We observed the greens obtained fairly quick and fairly agency after the delay, too, so obtained a bit harder."

Previous to the delay, the pair sat at 24-under, simply a few photographs off the lead. A powerful end would have put them in competition.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Eire and Shane Lowry of Eire communicate on day 4 of the Zurich Traditional of New Orleans on April 27, 2025 Rory McIlroy of Northern Eire and Shane Lowry of Eire communicate on day 4 of the Zurich Traditional of New Orleans on April 27, 2025 Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photos As an alternative, they missed a birdie probability on 11 proper after the delay, and it was downhill from there.

"We felt like we nonetheless had probability, and we did not make birdie on 11, after which we bogeyed 13 once more for the second time this week," McIlroy admitted.

They bogeyed 13, 15, and 17 and signed for a fair par 72 to shut out the event at 22-under, in a tie for twelfth.

Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin Discover PGA Tour Winner's Circle The ultimate spherical of the Zurich Traditional was filled with drama. At one level down the stretch, any of 4 pairs have been both tied or inside a shot of the lead. It was anybody's event to win. However it was Novak and Griffin that got here out on high with some clutch play late.

Whereas enjoying 17, the duo have been tied for the lead at 27-under with the Hojgaard brothers. Then Griffin hit the putt of his life to in the end proved the distinction.

Griffin drained a 35-foot birdie to provide the duo a lead they might not relinquish.

Thevictory for Novak and Griffin is the primary in each of their skilled careers. Afterwards, they detailed simply how a lot the win means.

"I believe for each Andrew and I, it felt prefer it was solely a matter of day trip right here," Griffin stated after the win.

"We each put ourselves within the combine a bunch, particularly this season, however even going again to final season. Yeah, simply a number of onerous work between each of us, and for me personally, it means the world to lastly get it paid off or to lastly get it finished. I could not consider a greater man to get it finished with, proper right here with Andrew."

Certainly, each gamers have been near their maiden PGA Tour wins a number of instances.

Novak has been notably shut as of late. He misplaced in a playoff only one week in the past on the RBC Heritage, the place Justin Thomas snapped his three-year winless drought.