{"id":54836,"date":"2026-04-24T08:02:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T08:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/54836\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T08:02:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T08:02:08","slug":"zurich-classic-scores-alex-smalley-hayden-springer-lead-after-round-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/54836\/","title":{"rendered":"Zurich Classic scores Alex Smalley Hayden Springer lead after round 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

April 23, 2026, 3:47 p.m. ET<\/p>\n

Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer took the early lead at the Zurich Classic with a 14-under 58.Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat are close behind after shooting a 13-under 59.Sam Stevens and Zach Bauchou are also in contention with a 12-under 60.Players took advantage of the best-ball format, leading to numerous low scores and aggressive play.The tournament will switch to a more challenging alternate-shot format for the next round.<\/p>\n

AVONDALE, La. \u2014 The fourth, sixth, ninth, 12th and 14th. It is easier to note which holes Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer didn\u2019t birdie or eagle than it is to go through all the circles on their scorecard from Thursday\u2019s opening round at the 2026 Zurich Classic<\/a>. The people here in Cajun country love their spicy food, but this duo set TPC Louisiana ablaze with 12 birdies and an eagle on the second hole en route to a 14-under 58 and the early lead.<\/p>\n

\u201cFour to finish, can\u2019t complain,\u201d Springer said. \u201cKind of got the putter going there\u2026 then nice to finish off on 18, get that one, take care of the par-5, especially in this format.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not far behind, Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat kept pace with a 13-under 59, while Sam Stevens and Zach Bauchou added to the early barrage with a 12-under 60 to position themselves firmly in contention. The latter duo wasted no time getting started, opening birdie-eagle-birdie and closing with four straight birdies to cap a round that rarely lost momentum.<\/p>\n

More: 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans leaderboard, live updates, scores<\/a>\"AVONDALE,<\/p>\n

Thompson and Eckroat built their round steadily before catching fire.<\/p>\n

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like we kind of eased our way into the round,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cThen we just rode the momentum and made a bunch of birdies and also made a nice eagle on seven.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

Behind them, Sam Stevens and Zach Bauchou posted a 12-under 60, powered by one of the more unusual scorecards of the morning. Bauchou holed three shots from off the green, including a 40-footer, as the longtime friends leaned on familiarity and a freewheeling mindset.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a format where you can play really freely,\u201d Stevens said. \u201cWe have two looks at it on every hole, and that kind of keeps that freedom going.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

That theme carried throughout the morning wave, where aggressive play and confident putting turned TPC Louisiana into a birdie-friendly layout.<\/p>\n

For Smalley and Springer, the chemistry was just as important as the ball-striking. The two share ties dating back to their amateur days, and that comfort showed in how they fed off each other\u2019s play.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou kind of pick each other up where you can,\u201d Springer said. \u201cEven when Alex goes and makes a birdie, it feels like I made a birdie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As low as the numbers were Thursday, the challenge is set to shift dramatically Friday with the alternate-shot format, where mistakes are magnified and birdies are harder to come by.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know you\u2019ve got to take advantage of the best-ball day,\u201d Eckroat said. \u201cTomorrow you never know. It\u2019s a lot harder to make birdies in alternate shot.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

For now, though, the message from the morning wave was clear: in ideal conditions, the Zurich Classic can quickly turn into a sprint, so y\u2019all better be cooking\u2019 right from the start.<\/p>\n

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