Associated Press

AVONDALE, La. — Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry held onto a share of the lead Friday in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, with the Irish duo shooting a 2-under 70 in alternate play in the PGA Tour’s only team event.

The teams of Davis Thompson-Andrew Novak, Ryan Brehm-Mark Hubbard and Aaron Rai-David Lipsky matched McIlroy and Lowry at 13-under 131 at TPC Louisiana. They will play best ball Saturday and close with alternate shot Sunday.

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, the 2022 winners, were a stroke back with Callum Tarren-David Skinns, Nick Taylor-Adam Hadwin, Zach Johnson-Ryan Palmer, Luke List-Henrik Norlander and Corey Connors-Taylor Pendrith.

McIlroy and Lowry, who opened Thursday with a best-ball 61, overcame Lowry’s mid-round putting woes to close with consecutive birdies. Lowry missed two short birdie putts and a makeable par putt.

“I was just trying to keep him as positive as possible and remind him that I’m here and I’m here to back him up in any way that I can,” McIlroy said.

Lowry rebounded with a long par-saving putt on No. 4 and blasted out of a greenside bunker to inches on the No. 8 after a mammoth drive by McIlroy.

“I missed a pretty short one on 18 and then another one on the second,” Lowry said. “I started to get a little bit into myself, but to roll that one in (on the fourth hole) was nice, and to play the last few holes the way we did was really nice too.”

Rai and Lipsky held a one-shot lead heading into the 18th hole when Lipsky hit a wild hook that landed out of play. Lipsky was able to make a bogey putt that helped the team retain a share of the lead.

“It was nice for me to make that putt after I double-crossed that drive off the tee,” Lipsky said, “That was wasn’t fun, I’ll be honest.”

Cantlay and Schauffele had the best round of the day with a 67. They were tied for the lead heading into 18th but Cantlay’s tee shot found the water, leading to a bogey.

Record crowds turned out for the first two days, which tournament officials attributed to the presence of McIlroy, the world’s No. 2 ranked player who has been enjoying the city’s cuisine. Earlier in the week, he admitted he was planning a quick visit to Bourbon Street in the city’s iconic French Quarter, but as of Friday that had not occurred.

“Maybe this afternoon could be the time,” he joked after his morning round.

LIV: ADELAIDE

ADELAIDE, Australia — Jinichiro Kozuma birdied his first three holes in a bogey-free round of 9-under 63 to take a one-stroke lead Friday after the first round of the LIV Series golf tournament.

Starting on the 15th hole in the shotgun-style start, the Japanese player had seven birdies and an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole at The Grange, where last year’s inaugural event featured one of the largest galleries of the year on the LIV series.

Local media reported 40,000 spectators attended Friday.

“Today my putting was really good, it was really hot,” Kozuma said. “I had some troubles here and there, but my putting was there to help me get through pars.”

Carlos Ortiz and Danny Lee were tied for second with 64s, while four others were tied for fourth with 65s. The group included Jon Rahm, who has yet to win since joining LIV in December.

“Obviously on any kind of golf course, if you start the tournament with an 8-under round, it’s very good,” Lee said. “There’s a lot of birdie holes out there. Whatever I was doing today and whatever Jinny (Kozuma) was doing today worked out pretty good.”

Ortiz said if the wind stays the way it is, coming after the rain leading into the tournament, “I think it definitely sets up the golf course pretty gettable, especially if you put it in the fairway.”

Series points leader Joaquin Niemann, who has two LIV titles this season, opened with a 67. Talor Gooch, who won the first of his three LIV titles last season at Adelaide, shot 68.

The LIV tour remains in the Asia region next week for the May 3-5 Singapore event at the Sentosa Golf Club. Then there’s a month-long break before resuming in Houston from June 7-9.