English siblings Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick have surged to the top of the leaderboard at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, carding a record-breaking better-ball round of 57 to establish a four-stroke advantage heading into the final round. The duo, who began the day one stroke off the pace, amassed 13 birdies - eight of which came on the back nine - and an eagle at the par-five seventh to reach 30 under par.
This impressive performance eclipsed that of overnight leaders Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who shot a 61, as well as fellow Americans Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat. "It's been an incredible day, and to be honest, the magnitude of our performance hasn't fully sunk in yet," Matt Fitzpatrick remarked. "My brother played outstanding golf over the last two days, and his recent form has been truly impressive. I have every confidence that he will continue to excel." If the Fitzpatrick brothers emerge victorious, Matt will claim his fifth PGA Tour title and become the first player in over two years to achieve back-to-back wins.
Additionally, Alex will receive a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, valid through 2028, along with exemptions to the next four signature events, including the 2026 PGA Championship and the 2027 Players Championship. The teams of Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, as well as Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat, are currently tied for second place, five strokes behind the leaders.
Doug Ghim and Jeffrey Kang are in fourth position, seven strokes off the pace. The final round will see the teams revert to the alternate shot format, with the top 33 teams and ties competing for the coveted title. The Zurich Classic, the PGA Tour's sole team event, offers a significant prize purse of $9.5m, with the winning team set to share 14.45% of the total, approximately $1.372m.