The Zurich Classic may soon silence its critics and become a very significant event on the PGA Tour calendar
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images The PGA Tour came in for a lot of criticism recently following the Zurich Classic at New Orleans, with the news that Alex Fitzpatrick would be exempt for the next two years and able to feature in the signature events. Fitzpatrick and his brother Matt Fitzpatrick gave the Zurich Classic an ideal storyline last month, with the pair teaming up to secure victory at TPC Louisiana. It was a result that earned the younger sibling his PGA Tour card.
But some felt that he received too many perks for winning a team event. Alex Fitzpatrick is vindicating the PGA Tour for presenting him with a ticket to the signature events It was questioned whether it was right for Fitzpatrick to become eligible for signature events given that he did not even have a PGA Tour card leading into the week. The Englishman arguably put that debate to bed with his performance over the first three days at the Truist Championship , with Fitzpatrick boasting a one-shot lead heading into the final round at Quail Hollow.
Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images The Zurich Classic is not one of the most prestigious events on the PGA Tour, with most of the game’s top stars taking the week off. However, that could be about to change a fair amount following Fitzpatrick’s win, as well as the speculation over the future of LIV Golf . A number of current LIV Golf players may soon view the Zurich Classic as a golden opportunity Obviously, so much is up in the air with LIV right now.
But it is interesting that their potential demise is coming at a time when the PGA Tour is looking to create a second tier of events and introduce promotion and relegation. While there may only be a handful of LIV players who would boost PGA Tour ratings, there are a number of talented golfers on LIV who would certainly be very good additions to a second tier that will inevitably lack star power. For those who look to jump back to the PGA Tour but face having to go down a similar route to Brooks Koepka , an event like the Zurich Classic could become hugely significant all of a sudden.
There may be a number of notable names in the field all desperate to get their hands on a ticket to the signature events – provided that the PGA Tour does not change the rules over what a victory at the event leads to. Obviously, it is always going to be difficult for the Zurich Classic to thrive when surrounded by signature events and majors. But it cannot be ruled out that there may soon be an influx of established players looking to improve their status on the PGA Tour.