Fitzpatricks earn big prize in 'The Big Easy' as Alex earns PGA TOUR card with Zurich Classic of New Orleans win
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Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick birdie 72nd hole to win Zurich Classic
It may not be possible for Alex Fitzpatrick to ever get a gift for his brother Matt that could be worthy enough repayment for what happened Sunday afternoon at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Alex, the younger Fitzpatrick, knocked his approach on the 72nd hole, a par 5, into a greenside bunker. It would be a lengthy, tricky shot for the elder Fitzpatrick. Lucky for Alex, Matt is one of the hottest golfers on the planet right now – and has some history in making good, long bunker shots in pivotal moments. He came up clutch again and left Alex with less than a foot for birdie to seal the deal – and plenty more.
Alex encouraged the assembled mass to get loud, and he rolled in the winning putt.
“I think that’s as good as it gets,” Alex said.
The English duo had lost a four-shot lead on the back nine after they made a double bogey on No. 12 and a bogey two holes later. But they stayed steady through their closing stretch before adding one final circle to their scorecard. Alex, who finally broke through for his first DP World Tour victory earlier in 2026, crouched and tried to conceal his emotion while rising to hug his brother.
For Matt Fitzpatrick, it was his second win in as many weeks on the PGA TOUR and third so far this season. He ascended to No. 3 in the world after last week’s triumph at the RBC Heritage, his highest such ranking.
“To win a team event on the PGA TOUR with my brother, I don't know if it does get better than that,” Matt said.

Highlights | Round 4 | Zurich Classic
The reason why Alex was, with reason, so very thrilled at his brother’s final-hole effort was because of the laundry list of things he now receives as a PGA TOUR winner. Firstly, a TOUR card through 2028. He’s also in the rest of the Signature Events this year, the PGA Championship next month and THE PLAYERS Championship in 2027.
Alex was trending towards earning a TOUR card on his own merit, as he headed into this week on TOUR seventh in the Race to Dubai standings on the DP World Tour, with the top 10 at the end of the year earning PGA TOUR status next season. This way, however, was way faster.
“Winning a couple of weeks ago on the DP World Tour was the first time that I had an exemption for over a year," said Alex. "It's always been a battle to have some form of status somewhere, so it was nice to have some eligibility that I know that I'm going to be okay for a few years. It's pretty surreal. I don't think it will set in for a long time.
“To be sat here doing it with him is the craziest thing ever.”
The Fitzpatrick brothers topped the teams of Alex Smalley/Hayden Springer and Kristoffer Reitan/Kris Ventura – who made an eagle on the 72nd hole of the championship en route to shooting the round of the day, a 7-under 65 – by one shot. The Fitzpatricks’ 1-under 71 Sunday was good enough, after they had shot a best-ball record 57 the day prior.

Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick news conference after winning Zurich Classic
It wasn’t easy through the back nine for the Fitzpatrick brothers as they kept struggling after the bogey on 14. Their approach on No. 15 had them off the green but Matt rolled in an 8-foot par to stay in the mix and then Matt, again, saved Alex on No. 16 – knocking a tidy pitch to just 2 feet after Alex’s approach was right and short of the green. Alex hit a lovely tee shot on the par-3 17th to just 14 feet to set up an easy par before they headed to the 72nd hole needing a birdie to win. The drive was solid, 322 yards to the fairway, but Alex, again, was a little off with his approach. That led to the lengthy bunker shot for Matt, but they had lucked out with how it ended up.
“When I got (to the bunker), the lie was just absolutely obscenely good. It was literally like sat on a tee peg,” Matt said. “I knew that it was going to spin, and I knew I had to kind of be aggressive with it. I'd say, you know, it's as good a bunker shot as I've ever hit, but that may be lying. But to hit it the way I did and to finish where it did to make it the most stress-free tap-in of all time pretty much for such a big occasion was really, really nice.”
Coming up clutch at a key time to win a PGA TOUR event is always nice.
Even better to do it alongside family.
“I'm incredibly appreciative of him, everything that he does for me,” Alex said. “I don't think there's many people that can say, you know, one of the best players in the world is your brother, but also, just what he does for me. Just love him to bits. There's not much more to say.”


