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Shane Lowry has confirmed newly crowned Masters champion Rory McIlroy will return to defend the pair’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans title in Louisiana next week. <\/b><\/p>\n
McIlroy has returned home to Northern Ireland<\/a> after skipping this week’s RBC Heritage event on the PGA Tour following his career Grand Slam-clinching success<\/a> at Augusta National. <\/p>\n But Lowry says the five-time major winner will fly back to the United States in time for the team event, which begins on Thursday. <\/p>\n “We’ll be there,” Lowry told Golfweek. <\/p>\n “I talked to him [Wednesday] morning. We’re good to go.<\/p>\n “To be honest, I didn’t want him to feel like he had to play because of me.<\/p>\n “He’s not letting me down if he wanted to take some time. He feels like he wants to get back out there.”<\/p>\n McIlroy and Lowry beat Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer in a play-off to win last year’s Zurich Classic.<\/a><\/p>\n McIlroy is also due to compete in the Truist Championship in Philadelphia between 8-11 May. <\/p>\n He will then return to major action at the US PGA Championship on 15 May at Quail Hollow in North Carolina, a course where he was won four PGA Tour events. <\/p>\n The 35-year-old will attempt to win his third US PGA title after victories in 2012 and 2014. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n