Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick arrive in form for a brotherly bid to win the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic

AVONDALE, La. (AP) — Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick are hoping to take advantage of a rare opportunity to win a PGA Tour event together. The English brothers have played some of their best golf lately, and the field at this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans is down on star power because of the tour's jam-packed schedule.

“It’s been a nice start to the year for both of us,” said Matt Fitzpatrick, now ranked third in the world after a victory last weekend in the RBC Heritage. “I feel like this year, our expectations are higher given the form that we had shown. ...

We feel like we have as good a chance as anyone. ” The PGA Tour's only team event falls this season in the midst of a six-week span that includes two major championships (the Masters and the PGA Championship) and three signature events at Harbour Town, Doral and Quail Hollow. That meant if top players elected to come to the Big Easy, they'd either have to play six straight weeks or skip one of the big-money, limited-field events.

Still, there are some high-profile names among the 74 two-man teams on the tee sheet for Thursday's opening round. Those include Shane Lowry, who won the Zurich two years ago with Rory McIlroy and is now teaming up with five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, who is in his first season back on the PGA Tour after playing on the LIV Golf circuit. “We’re going to have a good bit of fun out there,” Lowry said, praising Koepka's iron play.