PGA Tour
United StatesSeason 2026
The tactical landscape shifted dramatically during the alternate-shot second round at TPC Louisiana, transforming the tournament into a fascinating, tight battle of patience and precision. Navigating the demanding alternate-shot format with superb cohesion, the English brother partnership of Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick put together a brilliant display of iron play and clutch putting, firing a 7-under par 65.
The highlight of their surge came at the par-five 18th hole, where Matt delivered a spectacular eagle blast to propel the duo to 15-under par overall, firmly implanting them into the thick of the weekend conversation. Meanwhile, the first-round leading tandem of Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer faced a much stiffer test against the layout's penal design.
Struggling to replicate their opening-day fireworks, they labored to a 2-under par 70, allowing the chasing pack to close the gap significantly. Seizing on the opening, the international pairing of Kristoffer Reitan and Kris Ventura produced a highly efficient 5-under par 67 to climb within striking distance at the top of the leaderboard.
Other premium pairings found the alternate-shot conditions equally testing; the explosive duo of Austin Eckroat and Davis Thompson settled for a 70, matching the steady 70 signed by Eric Cole and Hank Lebioda, while Billy Horschel and Tom Hoge executed a series of key par saves to secure a solid 2-under par 68 to safely secure their weekend positioning.