Zurich Classic set for dramatic finish with Rory McIlroy/Shane Lowry two back in team debut

After his partner put his approach shot in the water on the 16th, Rory McIlroy calmly knocked a wedge to about 20 feet and rolled in the curling birdie putt, celebrating with a fist pump.

“Rory McIlroy had shown up,” according to partner Shane Lowry, as McIlroy made birdies on his own ball on Nos. 9, 10, 11, 13, 16 and 18. The Irish duo are firmly in the mix through 54 holes at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

McIlroy – who is making his debut at this event this week – and Lowry shot an 8-under 64 Saturday at TPC Louisiana. They’re just two shots back of the lead held by Zac Blair and Patrick Fishburn at 23-under heading into Sunday’s finale, with Luke List and Henrik Norlander (who finished tied for 23rd together last year) in second at 22-under.

McIlroy and Lowry are tied with Ryan Brehm and Mark Hubbard for third.

There are a few TOUR winners hovering around the top of the board (including last year’s runners-up Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin among the four teams a shot back of McIlroy and Lowry at 20 under) but the major-winning pedigree held by McIlroy and Lowry, clad again in matching outfits Saturday – blue polos and khakis for the third round – should help give them a bit of a spring in their step for Sunday.

“I think today was about staying patient knowing that the course was going to present some opportunities, especially on that back nine, and I think our patience was rewarded with the chances that we gave ourselves and rolled a couple of putts in on the back and kept ourselves in it,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy and Lowry – friends for about 25 years – started slowly, going out in 3-under, but made three birdies in the first four holes after making the turn and shot 5 under on the back nine.

They were only 1-under through six holes and saw Fishburn and Blair put a bow on their 12-under 60 effort – just one shot off the Four-ball scoring record.

“We absolutely finished strong," McIlroy said. "It was a tricky day. The wind was blowing. We had some chances early on that we didn't take advantage of. We birdied the two par 5s on the front nine and then we definitely got it going around the turn. I hit a lovely shot into (hole) 9 and was able to convert that, and I think that gave us some really good momentum going into the back nine."

Making a birdie at the ninth, McIlroy continued, was a “game changer.”

“I think that 6-iron he hit into (hole) 9 and he rolled the putt got us going, and from there on in, it was Rory McIlroy at his best, and it was a joy to watch,” Lowry added.

“I knew we had a lot of holes to play, but certainly when we were 1-under through 6 and a long way down the leaderboard, I knew we needed to get something going.”

No matter where a duo ended up on the leaderboard, the winds at TPC Louisiana were a scoring speedbump on Saturday. The teams all had to navigate the blustery blows.

“It’s a pretty similar direction as the rest of the week but just a lot stronger,” said Hubbard, after his team shot an 8-under 64. "There's just some holes out here that even if you know it's blowing one direction, like (Nos.) 9 and 18, they should play a little down off the right and for some reason they always seem to have a little hurt on those approach shots – and they're tough shots into those greens. To have to trust a certain club or certain line that you might not be comfortable with, that's tough.”

The wind is set to be a factor again on Sunday, where the final round will once again be alternate shot.

That’s a format where anything can happen, but McIlroy said to be just two back of the lead is a solid position to be in. He and Lowry are eager to make a final-round move and return to the winner’s circle on the PGA TOUR.

“I thought it was important to finish the way we did,” McIlroy said, “excited to have a chance to win tomorrow.”