The golf world witnessed an unexpected shift at the Zurich Classic.  Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin, a pair of Americans, secured their first PGA Tour victory.  This win came after Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, who were defending their titles, stumbled on the course.  The duo started the final round trailing by five shots.  They managed to shoot two-under on the front nine, but things took a turn for the worse.  After a weather delay, they hit a rough patch with bogeys on the 13th, 15th, and 17th holes.  They ended the day with a 72, tying for 12th place.  This was McIlroy's first tournament since winning the Masters.

The final round saw a thrilling three-way battle.  Novak and Griffin, who had a three-shot lead after three rounds, held their ground.  They finished with a 71, securing a one-shot win over the Danish twins, Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard.  The Hojgaard brothers shot a 68, but it wasn't enough to catch Novak and Griffin.  The American pair Jake Knapp and Frankie Capan III were also in the mix.  They were tied with Novak and Griffin at 27-under before a crucial turn of events on the 17th hole.  Knapp and Capan III found water and made bogey, while Griffin sank an impressive birdie putt.  This put them two strokes ahead with one hole to go.  Novak and Griffin's win was especially sweet for Novak.  He had just lost in a playoff at the RBC Heritage the week before.  The Zurich Classic proved to be a game of ups and downs, with unexpected twists and turns.  It showed that in golf, anything can happen.

RORY MCILROY SHANE LOWRY

A Surprising Turn at the Zurich Classic

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