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Theegala and Rai Hold Steady at Zurich Classic; Fitzpatricks Charge

Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala are tied-15th after two rounds at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Ryan Gerard also made a big move to T-26. The Fitzpatrick brothers, Matt and Alex, fired a 7-under 65 to pull within one stroke of the lead. Leaders Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer hold a one-shot advantage at 16-under.

Key Points: Zurich Classic: Theegala, Rai T-15; Fitzpatricks in Contention

  • Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala are T-15 at 12-under
  • Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Ryan Gerard jumped to T-26
  • Fitzpatrick brothers shot 7-under 65, one shot off lead
  • Smalley and Springer lead at 16-under after opening 58
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Theegala and Rai are tied-15th at Zurich Classic; Fitzpatricks in the hunt

Sahith Theegala and Aaron Rai are T-15 at the Zurich Classic. Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick are one shot back after a 65 in alternate-shot play.

"They barely missed a shot - Matt Fitzpatrick"

Los Angeles, April 25

Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala shot 2-under in alternate shots and were Tied-15th after two rounds at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the only team event on the PGA Tour.

They slipped two places from Tied-13th to Tied-15th at 12-under.

Another pairing with an Indian interest was Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Ryan Gerard, who were T-26 after a big jump from T-42. They shot 3-under and moved to 10-under.

Brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick combined for a 7-under 65 in alternate-shot play Friday to pull within a stroke of leaders Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer through two rounds. They barely missed a shot as per Matt Fitzpatrick, who has twice won PGA Tour this season.

The Fitzpatricks are playing together a fourth straight year in New Orleans, and the Englishmen have been in form lately. Matt Fitzpatrick has won twice since March, and Alex won his first DP World Tour title at the Hero Indian Open last month.

Smalley and Springer, having tied the tournament record with a 58 in Four-ball play in the opening round, had a 70 to get to 16-under 128.

The third round Saturday will tee off with nine teams within two shots of the leaders.

Matt Fitzpatrick, ranked third in the world after edging world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a playoff in the RBC Heritage last weekend, highlighted his round with a chip-in birdie on the par-5 18th.

Alex made four of the tandem's six birdie putts, the longest from more than 17 feet. He credited his older brother, a 2022 U.S. Open winner known for a meticulous green-reading routine that includes dropping into a near-prone position for a ground-level view.

Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka missed the cut by a stroke despite combining for five birdies. They were done in by bogeys on a pair of par 3s: Nos. 3 and 17.

The format switches to better ball in the third round and returns to alternate shots Sunday.

Americans Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat also were tied for second after a second-round 70.

Defending Zurich Classic champs Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak narrowly made the cut at 134.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Aditya G
Honestly, I'm more excited about Sudarshan Yellamaraju's performance! From T-42 to T-26 in one round - that's proper comeback stuff. Indian golf is really coming up these days. Alex Fitzpatrick winning the Hero Indian Open last month shows how much talent is in our country now too.
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Priya S
The Fitzpatrick brothers are in sensational form! Matt winning twice since March and Alex taking the Hero Indian Open - what a family! That chip-in birdie on 18 by Matt was pure class. 😍
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Rohit P
I wish the broadcast would show more of Theegala's round. He's such an exciting player to watch - that unorthodox style reminds me of an Indian street cricketer taking on the golf world! 12-under is still in contention, yaar. Come on boys! 💪
K
Kavya N
Love how Alex Fitzpatrick credited his brother's green-reading routine. That prone position Matt does is hilarious but clearly works! Also, Smalley-Springer shooting 58 in four-ball is insane - that's like hitting a century in T20! 🏌️‍♂️🔥
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Vikram M
Nice to see Indian-origin players making their mark globally. But honestly, I think our PGA Tour players need to work on their consistency in alternate shot format. Theegala and Rai both have incredible individual talent, but team golf requires different skills. Still, proud of them! 🇮🇳

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