American rookie pair Kevin Velo and Isaiah Salinda made an impressive debut at the Zurich Classic, combining for a 14-under 58 to set an 18-hole record in the four-ball format of the only team event on the PGA Tour schedule.
At TPC Louisiana, Salinda exploded with eight birdies and an eagle, while Velo also contributed five birdies. The duo finished with a 58, surpassing the previous record of 59, set by Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in 2022, and recently re-established by Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard at this year’s tournament.
“He was like a god ,” Velo said of his partner. “Salinda just one-putted almost every green. It’s easy to play well when you have a partner who scores like that. I added a few birdies when I needed them, but I relied on him for most of the day . ”
Salinda’s highlight of the round was a nearly 10-foot par-saving putt on the 12th hole, after both teed off in the rough to the right of the green and were forced into difficult saves.
The Zurich Classic 2025 has been electrified by an astonishing performance from PGA Tour rookies Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo, who set a new course record at TPC Louisiana with a jaw-dropping 14-under 58 in the opening round’s best-ball format. The dynamic duo maintained their momentum through three rounds, leading the field at 22-under par and holding a commanding five-shot advantage over defending champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, who sit at 17-under as the tournament heads into its final round tomorrow. With the golf world buzzing, can the rookies hold off the Irish superstars to claim their first PGA Tour title?
Salinda and Velo, relatively unknown before this week, have captured the spotlight with their record-breaking play. Their 58 in Round 1, which included nine birdies and an eagle on the par-5 2nd, smashed the previous Zurich Classic team record of 61 set by Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in 2022. “We were just feeding off each other,” Velo told NBC Sports after Round 3. “Isaiah’s iron play was unreal, and I couldn’t miss a putt.” The pair followed their historic opener with a 3-under 69 in the alternate-shot format of Round 2, and a sizzling 8-under 64 in Saturday’s best-ball, cementing their lead at 22-under.
McIlroy and Lowry, the betting favorites at +360 odds, started strong with an 8-under 64 in Round 1 but stumbled in Round 2’s foursomes, dropping to 8-under overall after a 2-over 74. The Irish duo bounced back impressively in Round 3, carding a 9-under 63 to climb to 17-under, but they still trail Salinda and Velo by five shots. “We’ve given ourselves a chance,” McIlroy said after the round. “Tomorrow’s alternate-shot format suits us—we’ll need to be sharp.” Lowry added, “Salinda and Velo are playing lights out, but we’re not done yet.” Fans on X are divided, with one posting, “Salinda-Velo breaking records? These rookies are legit!” Another wrote, “McIlroy-Lowry are coming for that title—don’t count them out!”
The leaderboard remains tight, with Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard at 19-under, followed by Kurt Kitayama and Collin Morikawa at 18-under. The Zurich Classic’s $9.2 million purse, with $1.329 million for each member of the winning team, adds intensity to Sunday’s final round. As the teams return to the alternate-shot format, Salinda and Velo will need to stay composed under pressure, while McIlroy and Lowry aim to channel their experience to close the gap. The final round tees off tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. ET, with coverage on Golf Channel (1–3 p.m.) and CBS (3–6 p.m.). Will the rookies hold firm, or will the champions strike back?
