Brooks Koepka could end his season at the Zurich Classic. Here is the way
When Brooks Koepka agreed to terms for a PGA Tour comeback earlier this year, reaching the biggest tournaments wasn’t included. But that could all change this week at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans.
In four days of arguably the toughest event of the year, Koepka has a chance to make his PGA Tour comeback successful and prepare for a run at the FedEx Cup title.
Here is the way.
A win at the Zurich Classic will bring Brooks Koepka big dividends
This week’s Zurich Classic may sound more like a show than an official PGA Tour event, but the bottom line is very real. Just ask Koepka.
Koepka made a deal to return to the PGA Tour this season, but that deal did not include automatic access to Signature Events. He was also barred from accepting sponsors’ exemptions from those high-stakes events. The five-time major champion and former LIV Golf champion will have to play his way into major tour tournaments.
That left Koepka waiting on the porch of the Harbor Town clubhouse last week as one of the first at the RBC Heritage stadium, hoping a last-minute WD would find him a spot.
It didn’t happen.
But if Koepka, who is partnering with Shane Lowry this week, wins the Zurich Classic, his reality changes. Although the Zurich Classic is a team event, both winning team members receive the same prizes as they would in a regular Tour event. Namely, a two-year PGA Tour exemption, a spot in the PGA Championship and tee times at all Signature Events.
Although Koepka is already a freebie on the PGA Championship thanks to his three PGA victories, gaining access to the Signature Events would be a major coup. In no time, he would have spots in the upcoming Cadillac Championship, May’s Truist Championship and the Memorial and Travelers Championship in June, all of which offer $20 million in purses and increased FedEx Cup points.
Brooks Koepka’s driver was in poor condition. He noticed in the Kings
By:
Jack Hirsh
It could also allow Koepka to relax and focus on winning, rather than spending time worrying about Tour status and tournament eligibility.
Then there is the money. A win this week would earn him and Lowry $1.3 million. As for the FedEx Cup, each player will receive 400 points for a win in Zurich. That would more than double Koepka’s current total of 302. It would also improve his FedEx Cup ranking from 57th to a possible top 30 spot. That will put him in a position to enter the Tour Championship. Although Koepka is barred from earning FedEx Cup bonus payments because of the Returning Member Program, he can still take home any winnings he earns at the Tour Championship and other playoff events.
Interestingly, Koepka’s partner this week has experience in this department. In 2024, Lowry teamed with Rory McIlroy to win the Zurich Classic. It was Lowry’s first win in five years which proved crucial to maintaining his Tour status and eligibility.
Matt Fitzpatrick’s brother Alex could earn a PGA Tour card at the Zurich Classic
Koepka isn’t the only player with a lot on the line at the Zurich Classic. Any player on the field who struggles in the FedEx Cup department can get job security for the next two years.
Some pros can go from zero PGA Tour status to full status. Alex Fitzpatrick is one of those players.
Fitzpatrick is currently playing on the DP World Tour, where he recently won his first victory at the Hero Indian Open. This week, he’s not only playing in a PGA Tour event, but getting to do so alongside the hottest player in the game.
That would be his older brother, Matt Fitzpatrick. Matt moved up to No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking with his second win of the season at the RBC Heritage. He won’t have to worry about his PGA Tour status for long.
But with a win this week, he could help his brother Alex realize his dreams of a full two-season PGA Tour.
