Novak and Griffin Capture First PGA Tour Victory at Zurich Classic

Novak and Griffin Capture First PGA Tour Victory at Zurich Classic as McIlroy and Lowry Settle for 12th

Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin claimed their first PGA Tour titles with a composed and clinical performance at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Delivering a clutch birdie on the 17th hole, they secured a two-shot lead that proved enough to seal a memorable win at TPC Louisiana.

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, last year's champions, entered the final round at 22 under par, five shots off the lead. They showed early promise with two birdies on the front nine but faltered down the stretch with three bogeys, ultimately posting an even-par 72. Their title defense ended in a tie for 12th place, six shots behind the winners.

The turning point came when Frankie Capan III and Jake Knapp, who had been pushing Novak and Griffin closely, stumbled on the 17th hole. Capan found water off the tee, resulting in a costly bogey. Griffin responded with a stunning 35-foot birdie putt to give his team breathing room heading into the final hole, where they calmly finished with a par to clinch the title.

This victory is particularly special for Novak, coming just a week after he narrowly lost a playoff at the RBC Heritage.

Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard also remained in the hunt throughout the final round but were undone by bogeys on the third, 10th, and 15th holes, ultimately finishing one shot behind Novak and Griffin at 27 under par.

The Zurich Classic was McIlroy's first appearance since completing his career Grand Slam at The Masters earlier in April. Up next for McIlroy is the Truist Championship in Pennsylvania from May 8-11, followed by a return to Quail Hollow for the PGA Championship — a venue where he has enjoyed great success in the past.

Stay tuned for more updates as the PGA Tour season continues to heat up.