Matt Fitzpatrick’s Final-Hole Heroics at Zurich Classic Secure Brother’s PGA Tour Card

In the PGA Tour's lone team event, the Fitzpatrick brothers withstood a wobbly back nine to fast-track Alex Fitzpatrick's road to the PGA Tour.

Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick claimed the Zurich Classic, securing Alex PGA Tour status. | Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Two weeks in a row. 

It was last Sunday that Matt Fitzpatrick fended off Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at the RBC Heritage with a superb approach shot that led to a tournament-winning birdie. 

Seven days later, the Englishman had more heroics in him. He stood in the greenside bunker on TPC Louisiana’s closing par-5, in a three-way tie for the lead at the Zurich Classic. Needing to get up and down from 35 feet, his shot settled a foot from the hole, setting up another walk-off birdie.

Only this time, the win, his third in his last four starts, meant more. With the Zurich being the PGA Tour’s lone team event, the 2022 U.S. Open champion was playing with his younger brother, Alex Fitzpatrick, who holds status on the DP World Tour—and recently won—but is not a PGA Tour member. 

Until now. 

With the victory, Alex earns full Tour membership through 2028, plus a spot in the remaining signature events this year and a tee time in the PGA Championship next month. 

MORE: Final results, payouts from the Zurich Classic

“As good as [winning a major] for sure,” Matt said afterward. 

That opportunity was nearly squandered, though. 

GOLF SHOT!

Matt Fitzpatrick plays it beautifully to set up for birdie and the win @Zurich_Classic. pic.twitter.com/FAnaC08xEE

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 26, 2026

Following a tournament-record 15-under 57 in four-ball on Saturday, they led by four strokes entering the final round. 

After smooth sailing through the first nine, playing alternate shot, the Fitzpatricks ran into trouble on No. 12, with a double bogey after a wayward drive from Matt. Two holes later, they made bogey, with Matt hitting his tee shot on the par-3 into the greenside bunker. 

Ironically, it was little brother Alex, 27, keeping the team afloat, not Matt, 31, perhaps the hottest player in the world. On the par-3 17th, for example, he knocked his tee shot to 14 feet, but Matt missed the birdie putt. 

“It was a struggle,” Matt said. “I was doing absolutely zero to help him. Apart from the [8-foot par] putt I made on 15 there, I wasn’t really providing much support. He was fantastic on the back nine, as he was yesterday as well.”

Concurrently, the tandem of Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer notched the clubhouse lead at 30 under, shooting 4 under par. Then the Norwegian duo of Kristoffer Reitan and Kris Ventura matched that with an eagle on the last, their third of the day, with Reitan hitting his approach from 230 yards to 6 feet. 

But despite the Fitzpatricks’ wobbles, they had built up a substantial lead earlier to still have a chance of winning in regulation on the 72nd hole. Then, of course, Matt redeemed himself from a lackluster back nine with a bunker shot that will forever be in highlight reels—and set the tournament scoring record at 31-under 257.

“I got to the ball [on No. 18], and the lie was unbelievable,” Matt said. “I couldn’t have placed it on a better tee. So I knew I was going to have to hit it, wind it all the way there. Did I plan that perfectly? Honestly, no, but you know, yeah, I played it to perfection. What more can I say?”

Alex, meanwhile, had a flight to Turkey on Sunday night for the DPWT’s Turkish Airlines Open. Now, he’ll instead have a much shorter trip to next week’s Cadillac Championship in Miami, a $20 million, no-cut signature event. 

In the blink of an eye, Alex’s entire life has forever changed. 

He’s in disbelief.

“It means the world,” Alex said. “Absolutely speechless. It was a grind today, and [Matt] was unbelievable. I couldn’t be more proud. That was just truly unbelievable today.”