The twin Englishmen Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick entered the final day of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with a commanding four‑stroke cushion after delivering a historic better‑ball round of 57, the lowest ever recorded in the tournament. Their remarkable 15‑under‑par performance propelled the pair to a total of 30 under par, eclipsing the previous leaders Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who had posted a 61, as well as fellow Americans Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat. At TPC Louisiana the brothers combined for an astonishing 13 birdies, eight of which came on the back nine, and Matt capped the round with an eagle on the par‑five seventh hole. "Amazing day.
It probably hasn't quite sunk in how well we played today, if I'm honest," Matt said after the round, marveling at the consistency of hole‑after‑hole excellence. He praised his older brother, noting, "He played brilliant golf both last two days. His game has really turned a corner these last few months, and I believe in him to continue that trend.
He's doing all the right things and obviously it was nice for him to have such a big impact there on the back nine." Should the Fitzpatrick duo capture the title, Matt would notch his fifth PGA Tour victory and would become the first player in more than two years to win back‑to‑back events on the Tour—a feat last achieved by Scottie Scheffler, who won the 2024 Masters and the 2024 RBC Heritage in consecutive weeks. In addition, Alex would secure a two‑year PGA Tour exemption through the 2028 season, along with automatic invitations to the next four signature events, the 2026 PGA Championship and the 2027 Players Championship. The competition behind them remained fierce.
Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who had tied the course record with a 58 in the better‑ball format on Thursday—a record that stood for 48 hours—shot a 62 on Saturday, dropping to a tie for second place alongside Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat. Doug Ghim and Jeffrey Kang posted a 61, moving them into fourth place, five strokes behind the leaders. Notable moments from the round included Zach Bauchou’s hole‑in‑one on the par‑three third hole, the first ace recorded at the Zurich Classic since 2024.
Bauchou, partnered with Sam Stevens, finished with a 64, eight shots off the lead. Veteran Billy Horschel, the only player to have won the Zurich Classic both as an individual and as part of a team, recorded a 64 with partner Tom Hoge, leaving them seven strokes back. The final round on Sunday will shift to the alternate‑shot (foursomes) format, where teammates share a single ball and take turns hitting shots.
This change will test the pair’s chemistry and strategic coordination, as each hole’s score will be the total number of strokes taken by the team. The Zurich Classic is unique on the PGA Tour as the sole team‑based event. The first and third rounds employ a four‑ball format, allowing each player to play their own ball and counting the lower score on each hole. The second and fourth rounds use the foursomes format, requiring players to alternate tee shots and continue alternating throughout the hole.
After 36 holes, the top 33 teams and any ties advance to the weekend competition. If a tie persists after 72 holes, a sudden‑death playoff will determine the champion.
This year’s tournament carries heightened financial stakes. PGA Tour officials have increased the total purse from $9.2 million (£6.83 million) to $9.5 million (£7.05 million).
The winning team will split roughly 14.45 percent of the pot, translating to about $1.372 million (£1.02 million) per player. In addition to the monetary reward, each member of the victorious duo will earn 400 FedExCup points, though no Official World Golf Ranking points are on offer.
Beyond the immediate rewards, the champions will gain entry into several premier events for the 2027 season, including the Players Championship and the PGA Championship, and will receive a two‑year exemption to return to the Zurich Classic. As the weekend unfolds, spectators can follow live coverage on Sky Sports, listen to the dedicated Sky Sports Golf Podcast, or stream the PGA Tour without a contract. For those seeking additional golf experiences, the platform also offers booking options at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland.
The narrative of the Fitzpatrick brothers’ surge underscores the growing prominence of team formats in professional golf, where individual talent merges with partnership dynamics to produce extraordinary results. Their 57‑stroke round not only set a new benchmark for the Zurich Classic but also highlighted the strategic depth and mental resilience required to excel in both four‑ball and alternate‑shot play.
Whether they can maintain their lead under the pressure of the final foursomes round remains to be seen, but their performance thus far has already etched a memorable chapter in the event’s history.