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Golf24 Apr 20262 min readBy Golf News Staff· AI-assisted

Smalley and Springer Post 13-Under 59 to Lead Zurich Classic R1

Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer fired a thirteen-under-par 59 to lead the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans after a low-scoring opening day of the PGA Tour's only team event at TPC Louisiana.

Smalley and Springer Post 13-Under 59 to Lead Zurich Classic R1

Key Takeaways

  • 1.The pair, playing the four-ball format that opens the PGA Tour's only team event, charged home with a flurry of birdies over their final holes to post the lowest score of a record-low opening day.
  • 2.Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, arriving in Louisiana on the back of Matt's dramatic playoff victory at the RBC Heritage, rattled off consecutive birdies on the fifteenth and sixteenth holes to get to eight under as a team.
  • 3.We thought that was good," the PGA Tour broadcast said, before Smalley and Springer eclipsed the mark.

Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer erupted through the opening round of the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, signing for a thirteen-under-par 59 to take the early lead at TPC Louisiana on Thursday.

The pair, playing the four-ball format that opens the PGA Tour's only team event, charged home with a flurry of birdies over their final holes to post the lowest score of a record-low opening day.

Johnny Keith and Michael Brennan were not far behind, firing a twelve-under 60 earlier in the afternoon wave.

"They signed for a 12-under 60. We thought that was good," the PGA Tour broadcast said, before Smalley and Springer eclipsed the mark.

Several teams made opening statements. Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, arriving in Louisiana on the back of Matt's dramatic playoff victory at the RBC Heritage, rattled off consecutive birdies on the fifteenth and sixteenth holes to get to eight under as a team.

"Baby bro, hop on my back. I got you these last two," one commentator quipped as the world number three dropped putts on both holes.

"Absolutely posing on that one. Paints the flag stick," the broadcast observed.

The short par-four sixteenth also produced Joel Damon's best moment of the day. Playing with Kevin Streelman, Damon curled a long-range birdie putt from downtown, the broadcast said, as the duo pushed into red figures.

Chandler Phillips and Carson Young sit three under, while Harry Higgs contributed strongly in four-ball with a bogey-free 32 on the front nine.

"That's birdie three-two for Harry," the broadcast noted as Higgs and partner continued to ride momentum through the turn.

The Zurich Classic is the only official team event on the PGA Tour calendar. Its four-ball and foursomes format, which has divided PGA Tour traditionalists, produced some of the most free-flowing scoring of the season on Thursday as pairs pushed each other to attack pin after pin.

With Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka pairing up in the absence of world number two Rory McIlroy, and Keith Mitchell teaming with United States Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker, Thursday's low scoring has set up compelling team-chemistry theatre for the weekend.