Rory McIlroy to make Zurich Classic debut in 2024

McIlroy has won four major titles, and Lowry has won The Open Championship

NEW ORLEANS, LA (March 25, 2024)— Rory McIlroy, 24-time PGA TOUR winner including four major titles and currently ranked second in the world, will make his debut at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans this year, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.

McIlroy will team with fellow Irishman Shane Lowry, who himself added a major title to his playing resume when he won The Open Championship in 2019 in his native country.

“Both of these players have competed for Europe in Ryder Cup competition, so they are very accustomed to team play ,” said Worthy. “It’s always fun to see close friends partner in our unique format, and with their experience they will be both fan and on-course favorites,” Worthy added.

McIlroy, who joined the PGA TOUR in 2010, has carved out a remarkable career, making the cut in 213 out of 243 tournaments he has entered. He has won 24 times on the PGA TOUR and 17 times on the DP World Tour.

His record glitters with titles in the most prestigious tournaments around the world. He has three FedExCup titles; the DP World Championship twice; The Open Championship twice; and once each in the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and THE PLAYERS Championship.

Although he is still seeking his first Masters championship to become only the sixth player in history to complete the Grand Slam, he has finished in the top 10 at Augusta seven times in the last 10 years.

He was named PGA TOUR Player of the Year three times, DP World Tour Player of the Year three times, won the Byron Nelson Award four times, the Vardon Trophy four times, and the Mark McCormick Award three times.

He has played on every European Ryder Cup team since 2010, with an overall record of 16-13-4. In the 2023 competition, he went 4-1 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club outside Rome, Italy.

McIlroy turned professional at age 17, after declining a golf scholarship at East Tennessee State University when he was only 15. His first win on the DP World Tour came when he was 19 in 2009 and his first victory on the PGA TOUR came just a year later in 2010. At 22, he became the youngest player ever to reach €10 million in career earnings on the DP World Tour. In 2012, he became the youngest player to reach $10 million in career earnings on the PGA TOUR.

He is currently ranked second in the world and has been ranked first in the world for 95 weeks starting in 2015.

Shane Lowry won The Open Championship in 2019 at Royal Portrush in his native Ireland, firing a course-record 63 in the third round to win by six shots over Tommy Fleetwood. He has won five other titles, four on the DP World Tour and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in 2015 that earned him his PGA TOUR card.

In addition to his title in The Open Championship, Lowry has posted a tie for third in the Masters, three top-10s in the PGA Championship and a tie for second in the 2016 U.S. Open, where he also finished ninth the previous year.

He has played the Zurich Classic four times in his career, most recently finishing 13th teamed with Ian Poulter in 2022.

Lowry has played on the latest two Ryder Cup teams for Europe. He also made the World Cup team three times and played for Ireland in the Eisenhower Trophy in 2008.

He has played only five times in the U.S. in 2024. This season he tied for fourth in the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches and finished third in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard.

About Fore!Kids Foundation:

Since 1958, the Fore!Kids Foundation has raised money to fund children’s service organizations through golf events like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and several charitable golf tournaments.

In 2023, the Fore!Kids Foundation generated a record $2.843 million in charitable giving for children’s charities in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge metro areas. Charitable contributions have been rising in recent years:
· Over $2.843 Million to charities in 2023
· Over $20 Million to charities in last 10 years
· Over $48 Million to charities since inception

More information at http://www.forekidsfoundation.com.

About the Zurich Classic of New Orleans:

Zurich Insurance has sponsored the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for 20 years, one of the longest title sponsor relationships on the PGA Tour. The Zurich Classic is the only team tournament on the PGA TOUR season. Since launching the team format in 2017, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans has drawn some of the highest-ranking fields for any regular-season tournament on the PGA TOUR.

The Zurich Classic has over a $40 million economic impact to the regional economy. With 42 hours of total television coverage on Golf Channel and CBS, a total of 13 million viewers tuned in to watch the tournament.

Internationally, PGA TOUR coverage of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans is available across 148 countries and territories via local broadcast partners, and garners $33 million in positive national and international media exposure for both the city and state throughout the year beyond the days of professional competition.

The tournament will be played April 24-28, 2024, at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. Purse for 2024 totals a record $8.9 million, with each member of the winning team earning $1,286,050 and 400 FedExCup points.

All tickets to the 2024 Zurich Classic will be mobile entry only. Day-specific grounds tickets are only $40. In addition, the Best of the Zurich Class Pass offers a variety of dishes from some of New Orleans most famous restaurants at three locations across the TPC course starting at $175 per day, and the Walk-On’s Stadium Club will offer close-up viewing at the 17th hole in the only two-story, air-conditioned tent on the course. Additional ticket options are available by calling the Tournament Office at 504-342-3000 or online at www.zurichgolfclassic.com