Brooks Koepka believes Shane Lowry’s game is an ideal fit as they look to justify their billing as favourites for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
The pair are neighbours in Jupiter and frequent practice partners and with Rory McIlroy unavailable this year, five-time Major winner Koepka will try to help Lowry repeat his win alongside the Holywood star in 2024.
“I think we form a really good team,” Koepka said. “I think the way Shane drives the ball, the way my iron play has been lately, and then Shane's short game, I mean, I think it's a pretty good combination.
“Then the best ball side of this whole thing, he's been playing great, so just let him go do him and stay out of the way.”
Lowry repaid the compliment, adding with a grin, “He's Brooks Koepka. He's got five majors.
“I think our job for the first two and a half to three days is put ourselves there, and I think when we do, we'll be okay.
"His iron play has been pretty good this year. My job is to try and hit it in the fairway and let him do his thing, and we'll be okay from there.”
Newry’s Charlie Smyth, who is now a kicker with the New Orleans Saints, walked a few holes with Lowry in the pro-am and the Offaly man is impressed with his progress.
“It's been incredible what he's done,” Lowry said of the Maybridge man who became the first GAA player to sign an NFL contract in 2024.
“I don't think people at home even realise how big it's been or how big it is, to go from not doing something to two years later, you're at the top of the sport. It's pretty cool.
"Obviously, I'll be watching him from here on in, and hopefully, he can get that starting place on the Saints and kick some winners.”
Seamus Power, meanwhile, returns to PGA Tour action alongside Germany’s Matti Schmid.
It’s a Major week in women’s golf with Leona Maguire the lone Irishwoman in the Chevron Championship at Memorial Park in Houston.
She continues to work on her game with coach Séan Foley, and after missing the cut in last week’s JM Eagle LA Championship, she’s looking to recapture the kind of form that brought her a tie for second in the Aramco Championship in Las Vegas just three weeks ago.
She tees it up with Japan’s Ayaka Furue and Swedish Solheim Cup teammate Madelene Sagstrom at 7:15 pm Irish time.
On the LET, Anna Foster and Aine Donegan play the Investec SA Women’s Open at Royal Cape.
But there are no Irish entrants in the DP World Tour’s Volvo China Open, where New Zealand’s world number 90, Daniel Hillier, is the top-ranked player in the field in Shanghai.
Article Link: Lowry and Koepka aim to forge winning partnership - News - Irish Golf Desk