DORAL, Fla. — Sure, Alex Fitzpatrick officially became a member of the PGA Tour, is exempt through the 2028 season and has a spot on all the signature events for the rest of 2026.
All the result of winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans while playing with his brother, Matt.
But the Fitzpatricks' victory meant much more. Alex, 27, now has earned the right to join golf's royalty … in Palm Beach County.
Now that his schedule will shift from internationally based to U.S.-based playing on the PGA Tour, Alex will start looking to settle close to his brother, who has risen to No. 3 in the world ranking.
Matt, who has won three times on the PGA Tour this season, lives in North Palm Beach.
"The security now is pretty nice," Alex said. "I can actually settle down somewhere for once, not just travel everywhere around the world. I'm looking forward to having my own space."
The Fitzpatricks are from England. Alex already is a member at Dye Preserve in Jupiter. But with a schedule that has taken him from Australia, to an island nation off Africa, to Dubai, Bahrain, Kenya, Qatar, South Africa, India — all this calendar year — the trips to South Florida have not been frequent.
"I didn't get there that often, but every time I go there's some of the best players in the world there," he said.
Another benefit, he says, of becoming part of the richest (literally and figuratively) spot in the world for professional golfers.
"Being able to be there more and compete against them guys, even if it's just some money matches or anything … it will be really good for my game," he said.
Fitzpatrick is a bit overwhelmed since that victory at TPC Louisiana. The reality of how winning on the PGA Tour can be life-changing hit when he had to cancel a flight from New Orleans to Turkey — where he was scheduled to play in the Turkish Airlines Open — rebooking to Miami, where he is preparing for the Cadillac Championship.
"That made it a little easier," he said, in the understatement of the week.
What makes this even more of bombshell for a player whose status on the DP World Tour was in jeopardy just last fall ... he did not know he was playing for PGA Tour status until after the third round at Zurich.
That's when the questions came about what was on the line in the final round.
"The week was really about playing with my brother, spending time with my brother, and enjoying time as a family," Alex said.
"Saturday night, my brother told me he slept like a log and I was like, 'I don't know how,' " Alex said. "I was up until probably 3 a.m. thinking, well, what happens if we play well tomorrow."
They played just well enough. It wasn't until Matt's clutch shot out of the bunker on No. 18 led to an Alex tap in, securing a one-shot victory over the team of West Palm Beach's Kristoffer Reitan and Kris Ventura.
Alex is not easing into his newfound membership. He dropped into the busiest stretch of the year when it comes to majors and Signature Events.
His first three starts as member of the PGA Tour are two signature events — Cadillac, Truist Championship — and the PGA Championship.
Which is why when asked how he is preparing for Cadillac, Alex said, "I have no idea, to be honest with you. Just hopefully I'll hit the first fairway and then I'll go from there.