The Zurich Classic of New Orleans appeared to receive a much-needed boost with the Fitzpatrick brothers emerging victorious at TPC Louisiana.
Given its place in the schedule, the Zurich Classic was overlooked by the large majority of the PGA Tour’s best players this past week. However, those who tuned in got to see Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Fitzpatrick secure an emotional victory.
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It was particularly significant for the latter, with the 27-year-old earning a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
The PGA Tour have been urged to make a change after Alex Fitzpatrick’s win at the Zurich Classic
Fitzpatrick is certainly a superb talent who would have probably earned his PGA Tour card later in the year anyway. He has already won on the DP World Tour this season.
However, there has been a debate concerning just how many doors the Zurich Classic victory opens up. Fitzpatrick is not only exempt on the PGA Tour, but he is now able to feature in the signature events. He is playing this week in the Cadillac Championship.
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Given that Zurich is a team event, it is a contentious move. And speaking on 5 Clubs, Brendon de Jonge admitted that he would make a change.
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
“It’s a lot. It really is a lot, and perhaps it is too much. They created this program for Brooks Koepka where you can play but you’re not going to be in the signature events. I would perhaps like to see something like that with Alex Fitzpatrick, or the winner of Zurich,” he said.
“You’re a non-member, fine, you’ll get into the events, but you’re not going to get into the signature events. I feel like it is a little bit too much.
“The two-year exemption, that’s fine, that’s great. But the caveat does need to be not the signature events. It feels like it’s a little bit too much.”
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The Zurich Classic of New Orleans as we now know it is surely no more
It would be no surprise to see the PGA Tour rip everything up and start again when it comes to this part of the schedule.
There is one full-field, 72-hole strokeplay event between The Masters and the PGA Championship. That takes place at Myrtle Beach in the same week as the Truist Championship.
So it is not a shock that the Zurich Classic is now being skipped by the large majority of the top players on the PGA Tour.
It makes sense to change the Zurich Classic format, while also moving it to another place in the schedule.
A team event has a lot of potential on the calendar. However, it needs a lot more star power because it is not going to have a storyline to fall back on like the Fitzpatricks trying to earn Alex a PGA Tour card every year.
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Moving it to either end of the schedule could be a smart move. And perhaps it could incorporate some matchplay to scratch that itch also.
Whatever comes next, it does appear that the format needs to change one way or another.
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