2026-04-26T21:46:09.746Z<\/p>\n
NICE FROM MATT<\/p>\n
The Fitzpatricks are in full scrambling mode, and at the 16th, a delicate chip from Matt lines up Alex for a par that will maintain their share of the lead.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n 2026-04-26T21:39:41.852Z<\/p>\n THREE IN THE LEAD!<\/p>\n The cat is well and truly among the pigeons after Kris Ventura and Kristoffer Reitan make an eagle at the 18th to head to the clubhouse with a share of the lead. They’re on 30 under, along with the Fitzpatricks and Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2026-04-26T21:34:42.329Z<\/p>\n BOGEY FOR ECKROAT AND THOMPSON AT THE 15TH<\/p>\n Austin Eckroat has a bogey putt at the 15th, and makes it, but he and Davis Thompson move back to 27-under and likely heading out of contention.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2026-04-26T21:33:49.763Z<\/p>\n MATT GETS THINGS BACK ON TRACK<\/p>\n Back to the Fitzpatricks and Matt digs it out of trouble at the 15th, but the ball stops left of the green and that won’t be a straightforward up-and-down for par.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Alex has the dubious honor of trying to get close to the hole, and it drifts right to leave a big putt.<\/p>\n Matt makes it and that’s a huge par save.<\/p>\n 2026-04-26T21:31:59.192Z<\/p>\n REITAN AND VENTURE PILE ON PRESSURE<\/p>\n Reitain and Ventura, at the 18th, leave an eagle chance, which would draw them level! Suddenly, there could be a new co-leader.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2026-04-26T21:24:49.879Z<\/p>\n MORE TROUBLE FOR THE TEAM FITZPATRICK<\/p>\n Will losing the solo lead refocus the minds of Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick? Judging by the latter’s tee shot at the par-4 15th, it doesn’t appear so.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n His drive misses the fairway and very nearly settles in a bunker before stopping inches in front, but nestled deep in the rough. Things are in danger of completely unraveling for the pair, and they really need to reclaim the composure that worked so effectively over the first three and a half rounds.<\/p>\n 2026-04-26T21:16:43.254Z<\/p>\n TEAM FITZPATRICK LOSES SOLO LEAD<\/p>\n Can Alex save the team for the second consecutive hole? Not this time. His bunker shot at the par 3 rolls considerably past the hole to leave a long, long par putt for his brother, who fails to convert. Another bogey and the solo lead is gone.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2026-04-26T21:11:04.087Z<\/p>\n TEAM FITZPATRICK’S ROCKY SPELL CONTINUES<\/p>\n The leaders are at the tee box of the par-3 14th, where Matt opts for a 6 iron in pursuit of the green, only for it to find a greenside bunker. The 2022 US Open champion seems to be struggling to reset following some wobbles on the previous two holes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2026-04-26T21:02:25.333Z<\/p>\n BRAVO, ALEX!<\/p>\n Alex Fitzpatrick bails the pair out big time. His chip onto the green gets within a couple of feet or so, and that’ll more than likely lead to a par.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Matt finishes and they swiftly move onto the next.<\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:57:16.188Z<\/p>\n HUGE MISJUDGEMENT FROM MATT<\/p>\n Things are heading south quickly for the Fitzpatricks. With the pair’s second at the par-4 13th, Matt’s wedge shot sails way beyond the green and they’ll be lucky to escape with a par after that.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Is it the pressure starting to show? You wouldn’t think so given Matt’s vast experience, but there’s so much on the line for his younger brother, Alex, including a PGA Tour card, that maybe, just maybe, it’s getting to Matt a little.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Reitan and Ventura fall further back with a bogey at the 15th.<\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:53:35.646Z<\/p>\n SMALLEY AND SPRINGER ON THE CHARGE<\/p>\n Five birdies in seven holes have dragged Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer right into contention. They’re now on 30 under after 13, just one behind the Fitzpatricks.<\/p>\n It nearly gets better, but Smalley’s birdie putt at the 13th lips out.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:46:54.253Z<\/p>\n LEAD CUT TO ONE<\/p>\n Alex Fitzpatrick has the honor of the fourth for the pair at the 12th, and it’s decent enough, but stops in its tracks a few feet beyond the cup when he would have expected it to spin back.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Matt then fails to convert the bogey putt, Alex holes for the double, and suddenly the lead is just one after Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer move into second.<\/p>\n Wow… the pair led by four no more than 10 minutes ago.<\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:42:08.873Z<\/p>\n LEADERS WOBBLING AT THE 12TH<\/p>\n After much discussion, Alex opts to pitch out to the fairway, but to say it backfires is an understatement, with the Englishman hitting the ball straight into another tree not much further along.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Matt takes relief from a cart path, but they’re not quite out of the woods yet… literally.<\/p>\n More trees are in the equation, but can Matt dig the pair out of the mess? He finds the fairway, but that’s three shots down on a par-4, with some distance to the green…<\/p>\n Trouble at the 12th \u203c\ufe0fMatt and Alex Fitzpatrick make a double bogey after getting stuck in the trees, and their lead is down to one @Zurich_Classic.\ud83d\udcfa CBS pic.twitter.com\/E31WmcNbxsApril 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:32:48.752Z<\/p>\n TREE TROUBLE FOR LEADERS<\/p>\n Matt Fitzpatrick tees off at the 12th, a par 4, and he won’t be happy with that as it sails right into some trees.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do they get lucky? No. The ball is right behind a tree, leaving their options limited, to say the least.<\/p>\n On a bright note for the leaders, Reitan and Ventura bogey the 13th to slip back to 29-under.<\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:30:55.398Z<\/p>\n COOL FROM MATT<\/p>\n Not for the first time in recent weeks, Matt Fitzpatrick makes it count when it matters, sinking a long birdie putt at the 11th and he and Alex now lead by three.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:28:44.140Z<\/p>\n MISSTEP FROM VENTURA<\/p>\n At the 13th, Kris Ventura doesn’t do his teammate any favors, leaving his approach way short of the pin, albeit on the green. It’ll take something special to reduce the gap to one on the Fitzpatricks here…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reitan’s effort drifts by and that’s a missed opportunity.<\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:25:00.866Z<\/p>\n Another team not out of the running just yet is Doug Ghim and Jeffrey Kang. They’re four back, helped by this slam-dunk eagle from Kang.<\/p>\n Slam-dunk eagle!Jeffrey Kang and Doug Ghim quickly jump to T2 @Zurich_Classic.\ud83d\udcfa CBS pic.twitter.com\/gfgLomWUvyApril 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:22:26.079Z<\/p>\n AS IT STANDS<\/p>\n The Fitzpatricks are on the 11th at 32 under, with Reitan and Ventura two back at the 13th. The format for the final round is foursomes (alternate shot), meaning just one ball is used per team.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The leaders were explosive on Saturday, with a record-breaking 57, but they’ve been more reserved today, at two under.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, here is the eagle putt that saw the Norwegian pair close the gap on the leaders to just two.<\/p>\n Look out for the Norwegians \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf4Another eagle puts Reitan\/Ventura two back of the lead, as Reitan eyes two Signature Event starts via the #AonSwing5. pic.twitter.com\/yyRMHyy7pUApril 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:19:54.080Z<\/p>\n WHAT’S AT STAKE<\/p>\n Both Fitpatrick brothers have success this season, with Matt having won the Valspar Championship and RBC Heritage and Alex the DP World Tour’s Hero Indian Open.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For the latter, this would be his maiden PGA Tour win, while it would also hand him a two-year exemption to the circuit.<\/p>\n There are also spots at The Players Championship and PGA Championship for Alex if the pair win (Matt is already in both events) as well as over $1m each in prize money.<\/p>\n 2026-04-26T20:16:48.480Z<\/p>\n WELCOME!<\/p>\n Welcome to our coverage of the remaining holes of the final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. After 54 holes, brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick led by four.<\/p>\n![\"Alex](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/uUYBmV7HrcQBpbhSw6zXSi.jpg\")
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