Fitzpatrick Brothers Eye Zurich Classic Victory Amid Strong Season Form
The Fitzpatrick brothers are looking to capitalize on their recent hot streaks at this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the PGA Tour’s only team event.
“It’s been a nice start to the year for both of us,” said Matt Fitzpatrick, now ranked third in the world after his victory at the RBC Heritage. “I feel like this year, our expectations are higher given the form that we had shown… We feel like we have as good a chance as anyone.”
Matt arrives in New Orleans riding high after edging world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at Hilton Head, giving the 2022 U.S. Open champion his second victory this season. He also won the Valspar Championship in March. Meanwhile, his 27-year-old brother Alex claimed his first European tour title at the Indian Open in March.
The tournament offers a rare opportunity for the English brothers to compete together, something they’ve done the previous three years with their best finish coming in 2022 when they placed 11th. Last year, they missed the cut.
“Last year, I felt like both of us weren’t kind of playing the best of our ability,” Alex said. “Coming into the event was a little stressful. Obviously, this year with the form we’ve both been in, the expectations are high, but at the same time, it takes the pressure a little off because it feels more like we can enjoy this week.”
The Zurich Classic falls during a packed six-week stretch that includes two majors (the Masters and PGA Championship) and three signature events at Harbour Town, Doral, and Quail Hollow. That scheduling crunch has thinned the field somewhat, as top players would either need to play six straight weeks or skip one of the big-money, limited-field events.
Still, several high-profile teams are competing. Shane Lowry, who won here two years ago with Rory McIlroy, has teamed with five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, who’s in his first season back on the PGA Tour after his stint on the LIV Golf circuit.
“We’re going to have a good bit of fun out there,” Lowry said, praising Koepka’s iron play. “My job is to try and hit it in the fairway and let him do his thing.”
A strong showing could significantly boost Koepka’s standing on tour. He was an alternate at Harbour Town and needs to move up the rankings to secure spots in upcoming signature events.
Format and Notable Teams
The tournament features 74 two-man teams playing two different formats. Each player will play his own ball during the first and third rounds, with the team recording the better score on each hole. The second and final rounds use the more challenging alternate-shot format.
Notable pairings include:
- Defending champions Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak
- Former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark with Taylor Moore
- Billy Horschel (the only player to win the Zurich in both single-player and team formats) with Tom Hoge
- PGA Tour winners Sahith Theegala and Aaron Rai
- Six-time tour winner Tony Finau with Max Greyserman
“We’re familiar with the golf course. We like the vibe. We play well in partner golf together,” Griffin said about defending the title. “It will be fun to defend for the first time for both of us.”
Novak added with a smile: “I don’t show up to many tournaments usually where I’m kind of the betting favorite.”
While the Zurich Classic doesn’t offer winners a spot in the Masters, each player on the winning team gets credit for a PGA Tour victory and a two-year exemption. That’s particularly significant for Alex Fitzpatrick, who isn’t a full-time PGA Tour player.
“That would be something I might be thinking about if we’re coming down the stretch on Sunday and we’re in contention,” Alex admitted.
The only downer during the pro-am came when Matt checked his phone to see their favorite soccer team, Sheffield United, losing 3-1 to Blackburn.
“Hopefully, we don’t play like them,” Alex quipped.
