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Alex Fitzpatrick Secures Full Tour Card, 2026 PGA Spot

4/29/2026

Summary

Fitzpatrick Secures Tour

Alex Fitzpatrick earned full PGA Tour membership through 2028 and a spot in the 2026 PGA Championship after his Zurich Classic team win.
He will debut at the 2026 Cadillac Championship, the fifth signature event, on Thursday at Trump National Doral in Miami.
The 27-year-old turned pro in 2022, captured the 2023 British Challenge and the Hero Indian Open in March, and is ranked 140th.

Summary

Fitzpatrick Brothers Win

Rory McIlroy will return at the Truist Championship, starting May 7 at Quail Hollow.
He entered 2026 with Masters wins and skipped the RBC Heritage, Zurich Classic and Cadillac Championship to focus on majors.
The Fitzpatrick brothers achieved the first sibling PGA Tour win in 20 years at the Zurich Classic.
Matt Fitzpatrick clinched the title with a 35-foot bunker shot on the 18th, leaving the ball inches from the cup.

Summary

Fitzpatrick Points Cut

Critics in LIV Golf hats called the Tour hypocritical for giving Alex Fitzpatrick an exemption after one team win.
The Zurich Classic’s format let Matt Fitzpatrick dominate birdies, prompting calls to split winner benefits.
Tour officials awarded the Fitzpatrick brothers 400 FedEx Cup points instead of 500, reflecting reduced status.
A commentator suggested demoting Zurich Classic and limiting Alex Fitzpatrick’s exemption to one season because the team format skews rewards.

History

Historical Context

The Zurich Classic, held in New Orleans since 1938, switched to a two-man team event in 2017, awarding the winners 400 FedEx Cup points. In 2026 Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick captured the title, sharing a $9.5 million purse, echoing the inaugural team victory of Kevin Na and Pat Perez. The win continues the Tour’s experiment with team formats.

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Fitzpatrick Secures Tour

Alex Fitzpatrick earned full PGA Tour membership through 2028 and a spot in the 2026 PGA Championship after his Zurich Classic team win.
He will debut at the 2026 Cadillac Championship, the fifth signature event, on Thursday at Trump National Doral in Miami.
The 27-year-old turned pro in 2022, captured the 2023 British Challenge and the Hero Indian Open in March, and is ranked 140th.

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