Matt Fitzpatrick and his younger brother Alex sparked the Zurich Classic with a record-setting 15-under 57 in better-ball play, building a four-shot lead entering the final round. Their 30-under 186 through 54 holes also set a tournament mark at the PGA Tour’s only team event.
The Fitzpatricks delivered a round that kept producing birdies from start to finish at TPC Louisiana. Matt said, “Amazing day. Probably not kind of sunk in how well we played today, if I’m honest,” after a card filled with momentum-shifting shots and steady scoring.
Record pace at TPC Louisiana
The 57 stood as a new tournament benchmark and came after conditions opened the door for low scoring. A pre-dawn thunderstorm led to lift, clean and place in the fairway, while the wind eased for much of the round before a late breeze returned.
Those factors helped, but the brothers still had to produce the shots. Matt opened with a chip-in birdie on the first hole, then added an eagle on the par-5 seventh with a 33 1/2-foot putt.
His tee-to-green precision also showed on the par-5 12th, where a 210-yard approach with a 5-iron stopped four feet from the cup and set up another birdie. That put the brothers in front for the rest of the day.
Alex Fitzpatrick’s growing impact
Alex Fitzpatrick matched the pace with a strong back nine and continued to show the form that has raised his profile. Playing on the European tour, he is seeking his first PGA Tour title, which would also bring an exemption through 2028.
Matt praised his younger brother’s recent growth, saying, “His game has really turned a corner these last few months,” after Alex won the Indian Open last month. Alex then backed that up with key birdies on the eighth, 16th, and 17th holes, plus a two-on reach at the par-5 18th that led to the team’s eighth birdie on the back nine.
For Alex, the week has carried meaning beyond the leaderboard. “No matter what happens tomorrow, it’s going to be a great week regardless,” he said, pointing to the rare chance to spend time with family while competing together.
Closest challengers keep pressure on
Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer briefly held the event’s scoring spotlight after an opening-round 58, but they slipped after shooting 62 and fell into a tie for second with Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat. Doug Ghim and Jeffrey Kang remained in the chase after a 61 that moved them into fourth, five shots behind.
The round also included a notable highlight from farther down the board, as Zach Bauchou made the event’s first hole-in-one since 2024 on the par-3 third. He and Sam Stevens finished with a 64, while Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge posted a 64 and stayed seven shots back.
Matt Fitzpatrick, the world No. 3 and one of the hottest players in golf after two wins this spring, added another strong chapter to his season while lifting his brother into the championship picture. With one round left, the Fitzpatricks carried the tournament record, the lead, and a chance to turn a family pairing into a landmark finish at the Zurich Classic.
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