Full Breakdown
Fitzpatrick Brothers Close Gap to Lead at Zurich Classic
4/25/2026, 10:00:39 AM
Core Event: Fitzpatrick Brothers Near Lead After Alternate-Shot Round
Friday’s alternate-shot round at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans saw Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Fitzpatrick card a 7-under-65, pulling to a tie for second at 15-under, just one stroke behind leaders Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer.
Format & Recent Form
The Zurich Classic, the PGA Tour’s only team event, alternates four-ball on Thursday and Saturday with alternate-shot on Friday and Sunday. Matt entered after wins at the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage; Alex earned a sponsor’s exemption after his Hero Indian Open victory on the DP World Tour.
Scores & Cut Line
Thursday’s four-ball round left the Fitzpatricks at 8-under-64, six shots off the 58-under 58 posted by Smalley and Springer. After Friday’s 7-under-65, the Fitzpatricks sit at 15-under, Smalley/Springer at 16-under. The cut is 10-under; Shane Lowry/Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau/Max Greyserman missed it by one stroke.
Implications
A win would give Alex Fitzpatrick a two-year PGA Tour exemption and, with the team’s 400 FedExCup points each, a $1.372 million share of the $9.5 million purse. The result also reshapes the Fitzpatricks’ FedExCup positions, while Lowry and Koepka’s missed cut hurts their points race.
Player Reactions
Matt said the pair “played great today” and “barely missed a shot.” Alex praised Matt’s green-reading, noting he “just keeps listening and they go in.” Smalley called the format “fun,” and Hayden Springer said the team “scrambled pretty well and hung in there.”
Criticism
Matt later called the 18th-hole finish “a really disappointing way to end with two balls in perfect position” and said “it’s not good enough.” Lowry and Koepka’s early exit, missing the cut by one stroke, highlighted the challenge of maintaining momentum in the alternating formats.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We barely missed a shot,” — Matt Fitzpatrick, Professional Golfer
- “I didn’t feel like I did much. (Matt) read the putts for me, and I just keep listening to him, and they go in,” — Alex Fitzpatrick, Professional Golfer
- “It’s great to join my brother Matt as a winner,” — Alex Fitzpatrick, Professional Golfer
- “We scrambled pretty well and hung in there,” — Hayden Springer, Professional Golfer
Upcoming Rounds
Saturday’s four-ball round offers a chance for a low 58 to lock in a weekend lead; Sunday returns to alternate-shot, where consistency will decide the champion. The Fitzpatrick brothers must sustain their momentum to turn the one-stroke gap into a win.