Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer birdied two of their final three holes to recover the lead from Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick midway through the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Friday at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La.
The English brothers put up the round of the day as a foursomes pair, a 7-under-par 65, to move into the lead at 15 under. They held that lead late in the day before first-round leaders Smalley and Springer, who started on the back nine, made up for bogeys at Nos. 4 and 6 with birdies at Nos. 7 and 8.
Smalley and Springer climbed to 16-under 128 after posting a 70. Tied with the Fitzpatricks at 15 under were Billy Horschel/Tom Hoge (68) and Davis Thompson/Austin Eckroat (70).
Seventy-four teams entered the unique event, where teams of two play four-ball (best ball) in the first and third rounds and foursomes (alternate shot) in the second and fourth rounds. Alternate shot is considered the more difficult of the two formats.
After their birdie at the seventh, Smalley stuck his approach at No. 8 to 3 feet of the cup for Springer to tap in.
“I don’t know if Hayden missed a putt inside of 10 feet all day, so that was huge,” Smalley said.
Springer also hit a key bunker shot at the par-5 second hole to 8 feet for Smalley to convert into a birdie.
Springer, best known for shooting a 59 at the 2024 John Deere Classic, is currently grinding on the Korn Ferry Tour with limited PGA Tour starts. A win this week would grant him the normal two-year exemption on tour.
“It’s interesting to kind of be on that bubble … I’m hoping that I can play a little bit better and get out of that position, but it’s just part of it,” Smalley said.
The Fitzpatricks’ big move came at the turn. They eagled their ninth hole of the day, the par-5 18th, when Matt Fitzpatrick hit a high pitch shot that rolled on a perfect line into the cup. The duo birdied their next two holes to make it a 4-under, three-hole stretch.
“Nice to … steal an eagle there at the last,” Matt Fitzpatrick said. “You are looking to nestle it down there from 2 or 3 feet and tap in birdie. Nice to steal one.”
After their lone bogey of the day at the par-3 third, they added the final two of their six birdies at Nos. 5 and 7.
The Fitzpatricks have played the event together since 2023 but missed the cut last year. Their form is much better this year: Matt Fitzpatrick has risen to No. 3 in the world rankings with a pair of victories, and Alex Fitzpatrick won his first career title at the Hero Indian Open.
“Obviously playing here as a family has been great for us, not seeing each other that much in the year,” Alex Fitzpatrick said. “Since we first came here I think four years ago now, you guys have made us incredibly welcomed.”
Horschel and Hoge finished the round hot — five birdies and one bogey over the last six holes. Horschel won this event with teammate Scott Piercy in 2018.
“I knew we were going to have some birdie opportunities,” Horschel said. “We did a good job of doing that, and we were rewarded with birdieing really five of the last six holes.”
Six teams are tied two shots back at 14 under. Of those six, the Norwegian tandem of Kristoffer Reitan and Kris Ventura had the best score Friday, a 5-under 67.
The top 33 teams and ties made the 36-hole cut, which landed at 10 under par. Brooks Koepka and Irishman Shane Lowry, who teamed up for the first time this year, missed the cut by a single shot after rounds of 66 and 69.
–Field Level Media
