Winners’ Bags: Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, 2026 Zurich Classic

Before gear free agents and brothers Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Fitzpatrick became the first siblings to win the Zurich Classic, they arrived with very different statistical profiles—ones that, together, made them uniquely dangerous.

This may be a bit of a stretch, but Matt is the more complete player. He ranks among the TOUR’s best in driving accuracy (around 65–70%) and consistently gains strokes with his approach play, putting, short game, breathing, eating, and watching Premier League Soccer. He’s a superstar through and through. He’s not short off the tee—averaging roughly 300 yards off the tee—but his real advantage is control. Fewer mistakes, better positioning, and a game that travels under pressure. On the greens, he’s reliable and tends to gain strokes putting over a full season, particularly in big moments.

Alex brings a different dimension. He’s typically longer (305+ yards) and more aggressive, but that comes with tradeoffs—fewer fairways and more volatility. He can make birdies in bunches and has a confident putter, but his week-to-week consistency isn’t at Matt’s level yet. But he is a good player in his own right.

The biggest difference between the brothers: Matt’s floor is considerably higher, and his ceiling shows up more often and in the biggest events. That’s why he makes the big bucks.

Put them together at the Zurich, though, and it works:

• Matt = control, structure, reliability
• Alex = speed, aggression, upside

And in a team format, that balance becomes a weapon.

Biggest Gear Comparison Takeaways: 

1. The only complete equipment/gear match between the two brothers is the ball they play: Titleist Pro V1x
2. They both play Vokey SM10 wedges; however, they play with different shafts, and Matt’s lobber is 58 degrees, whereas Alex’s is 60 degrees.
3. Between the two of them, they play with:
   1. Equipment from five different manufacturers
   2. A 7-wood
   3. A 9-wood
   4. One hits pitches cross-handed
   5. One plays in Sketchers (yep)
   6. A lot of their gear isn’t the newest model: fairway woods, irons, wedges
   7. Now, a ton of confidence knowing they both are PGA TOUR winners