Rory McIlroy Shares Title Wealth In Big Easy After Saying 'Never Enough' Money In Golf

NEW ORLEANS - This City That Care Forgot, aka The Big Easy, can sometimes fit its various slogans to a tee.

A golf tee that is over the weekend. Though, I can see Rory McIlroy bringing home a couple of "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler (Let The Good Times Roll)" T-Shirts to Jupiter, Florida, to show or gift his neighbor Tiger Woods. 

Woods, too, may soon be making his first-ever golf appearance here as well. More on that later.

It was that kind of weekend for McIlroy, the 34-year-old native of Holywood, County Down in Northern Ireland who made his maiden voyage to New Orleans and squeezed in 72 holes at the Zurich Classic. And he and partner Shane Lowry, 37, of Mullingar, Ireland, won the only team event on the PGA Tour Sunday afternoon on CBS to wrap up a wild week of wine, cuisine and song, when they weren't rolling off the tees.

A jazz band escorts Rory Mcilroy of Northern Ireland and Shane Lowry of Ireland to the trophy presentation after they won the Zurich Classic two-man team PGA tour stop in New Orleans on Sunday. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

McIlroy walloped an enormous 361-yard drive on the par-five 18th at TPC Louisiana Sunday that helped set up Lowry for a gimme birdie putt - not much longer than a wine glass. That forced a playoff with Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey. After the Irishmen combined for a par on the first playoff hole, Trainer missed a six-foot putt for par, and it was over.

Rory McIlroy And Shane Lowry Split $2.5 Million

McIlroy, the No. 2-ranked player in the world behind 2022 and '24 Masters champ Scottie Scheffler of Ridgewood, New Jersey, won his 25th PGA victory. He earned $1.268 million as he had to split the winning purse with Lowry right down the middle. But neither seemed to care as someone literally struck up the band. They do that around here. Suddenly, a jazz band materialized and escorted the two winners to the "19th Hole," which this city basically has at every corner.

Next thing you know, McIlroy - not a teetotaler - was on stage for the usual post-tournament concert and belted out some of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."

"We've gone out for some really nice dinners, and people could not have been more hospitable or nicer to us during the week," McIlroy said.

At Arnaud's, a world-class creole restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter since 1918, McIlroy and Lowry received a standing ovation Saturday night from a crowd of other diners and staff. Then they dipped into a bottle of 1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild wine, according to the Baton Rouge Advocate's Jeff Duncan. That goes for a total purse of about $2,400. I understand McIlroy and Lowry split that evenly, too.

Rory McIlroy Hit Prime Dinner Spots In New Orleans

Previous dinner stops during the "Two Irishmen Go To New Orleans" tour included Gautreau's, the quaint American-French hideaway uptown where they ran into Archie and Eli Manning, and La Petite Grocery, where they had crawfish beignets off a local menu in what was a grocery store 100 years ago.

With their early tee times among the leaders, the pair could have also hit the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which ran from Thursday through Sunday in its first weekend, or watch the New Orleans Pelicans lose another NBA Playoffs game.

"It's been absolutely amazing," McIlroy said of the city. "The atmosphere all week has been incredible. It's not lost on me how cool that is."

RELATED: With LIV Golf, "Never Enough," Rory McIlroy Says

This from the man who on Wednesday sounded like golf was not about the fun or the location so much with the LIV Tour joining the party. Asked at a press conference, for a number "that would make you guys feel validated for staying (on the PGA Tour), considering the LIV Tour payouts," McIlroy said this:

"I think the one thing we've learned in golf over the last two years is there's never enough (money)."

Then he hit New Orleans, and he's already coming back.

"I'd say we're going to come back defend next year," McIlroy said and looked at Lowry, "What do you think?"

And both smiled. Maybe here, there's more to it than just the money?

The Zurich Classic's team format is not popular with a lot of fans, but the tournament has thrived under that format since 2017. And it has one of the best sponsors of the non-elevated (or non-biggie) tour stops with Zurich Insurance Group, which celebrated its 20th year with the New Orleans tournament. That sponsorship contract ends in 2026, but it is expected to be renewed long term.

"I've covered it for the last 15 years," Duncan said. "And this has been the best one as far as the crowds and the interest level. CBS has been saying the ratings are looking very good, too."

Tiger Woods, who won the 2019 Masters, presents 2020 champion Dustin Johnson with the green jacket in Augusta, Georgia. (USA TODAY Sports)

The team part attracts younger players. It also attracts top players like McIlroy, because it's a break from the grind of having all the pressure on yourself. Five of the top 15 players in the world graced the Zurich over the weekend and nine of the top 30. The non-elevated Byron Nelson tournament in Dallas this weekend has but one top 20 player - Jordan Spieth. 

And the best may be yet to come. The Zurich Classic and previously the Freeport-McDermott Classic, Compaq Classic and HP Classic begged Tiger Woods to play in New Orleans. With the New Orleans tournament too close to the Masters in his prime, Woods avoided it.

But with this team play, look for Woods to possibly play in New Orleans for the first time with his son Charlie Woods in the near future, if the 15-year-old improves, or with another partner.

Maybe McIlroy can convince him.

"I think we're going to have to run this back again next year," McIlroy said. "I think we're coming back. I don't think they need to try (or beg). We went out there. We had loads of fun, and we won the tournament. You couldn't ask for a better week."