The Zurich Classic of New Orleans represented the latest stop on the PGA Tour, with brothers Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Fitzpatrick emerging victorious.
TPC Louisiana played host to the team tournament, where much more than a trophy was on offer for the champions.
Hugely benefiting from the success, Alex Fitzpatrick has not only earned a PGA Tour card through 2028, but exemption into the rest of the 2026 Signature Events, the PGA Championship this year and The Players Championship in 2027.
But while there is massive incentive for the champions, the PGA Tour could make the Zurich Classic far more compelling for fans with three changes.
Is Matt Fitzpatrick the best player on the PGA Tour right now?
The Zurich Classic needs a stronger field
The PGA Tour should be doing more to attract a bigger audience for the Zurich Classic, which has great potential given that it is something completely different.
Making the most of its unique alternating-round Four-ball and Foursomes format, the event would benefit from a simply stronger field.
New world number three Matt Fitzpatrick was the highest-ranked player at the tournament, which didn’t involve the likes of high-profile names such as Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who played together, represented the only other really major names to have taken part this week.
Relatively easy TPC Louisiana plays host to very low scoring
One potential alternative option to a stronger field involves greater difficulty at TPC Louisiana, which played host to a long list of very low scores.
The Fitzpatrick brothers won the Zurich Classic on 31-under, one shot ahead of Kristoffer Reitan and Kris Ventura, and Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer.
Lowry and Koepka meanwhile finished their opening two rounds on nine-under, which wasn’t enough to make the 10-under cut line.
The Zurich Classic was the fifth-least-watched PGA Tour event of 2025, but a more difficult course or indeed venue entirely could attract more people to the event and the sport in general.
It still takes great skill and nerve to win the tournament, but it’s certainly not as challenging as many other venues used throughout the season.
Would you like to see more team events played on the PGA Tour?
Matt Fitzpatrick has backed the idea ahead of the Zurich Classic
More controversial pairings needed at the Zurich Classic
Rather than an increase in difficulty, there have already been suggestions of removing the Zurich Classic from the PGA Tour altogether.
Put simply, a two-man team event may not be able to cut it if CEO Brian Rolapp wants to create the best possible product that rewards the top players in the right way.
But that viewpoint could be altered with more controversial pairings, whether that be through high-profile names, legendary figures, rival golfers teaming up, or even introducing LIV Golf stars.
There was no LIV Golf event during the Zurich Classic, which could have made a massive splash by inviting a pairing like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau to take part.
Storylines such as the Fitzpatrick brothers and Lowry and Koepka playing together were great, but the intriguing pairings arguably ended there.
Lowry played with Rory McIlroy at the event not long ago, with more star-studded partnerships like that one definitely needed going forward.
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