Golf roundup: Alex Smalley, Hayden Springer team up for early lead at Zurich

Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer turned in a 14-under-par 58 on the first day of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, earning a one-shot lead at the PGA Tour's only team event at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La.

class="related-link">More: Our online guide to Metro Detroit-area public golf courses

>Smalley's birdie-eagle-birdie start to the round ignited the pair, and Springer closed the day strong, responsible for birdies at Nos. 15-18. They weren't the only team to go low, as Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat are on their tails following a 13-under 59.

>Zurich Classic of New Orleans scoreboard

>Seventy-four teams entered the unique event, where teams of two play four-ball (best ball) in the first and third rounds and foursomes (alternate shot) in the second and fourth rounds. The top 33 teams and ties will make the cut after 36 holes.

>

>Sam Stevens/Zach Bauchou, Nick Dunlap/Gordon Sargent and Eric Cole/Hank Lebioda are tied for third at 12 under. Billy Horschel/Tom Hoge were among a large group tied at 61. Meanwhile, the first-time pairing of Brooks Koepka and Irishman Shane Lowry settled for a 6-under 66, outside the top 50 as play wound down late Thursday.

>Thompson and Eckroat pulled off a 10-under-par run in a span of nine holes. Eckroat eagled the par-5 seventh, and the duo combined to birdie each of the next eight.

PGA Tour cutting 4% of workforceThe PGA Tour laid off 56 full-time employees, or about 4% of its total workforce, Sports Business Journal reported Thursday.

>An additional 73 vacant roles would not be filled, but the tour plans to reinvest in 30 or more new full-time positions, the report said.

>The moves come as the PGA Tour continues to adjust to a for-profit business model, after private equity partner Strategic Sports Group (SSG) invested $1.5 billion into the top golf circuit in 2024.

>According to Sports Business Journal, new CEO Brian Rolapp described the job cuts as a "difficult – but important – step" in an email to employees. Rolapp joined the PGA Tour last June, in effect taking over from commissioner Jay Monahan, who is staying on as a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board and PGA Tour Enterprises Board through 2026.

>The tour is "right-sizing" not only its staff but its tournament schedule. In an effort to ensure the best players are participating in the same events more consistently, Rolapp has proposed a new structure with a top tier of 21-26 tournaments (which would include the four majors, The Players Championship and the FedEx Cup playoffs) and a second track for players to earn opportunities for promotion.

>Earlier this week, the PGA Tour confirmed it would not return to Hawaii in 2027. The tour traditionally opened its season with a two-week Hawaiian swing, with events on Maui and in Honolulu.

>This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer lead at Zurich Classic of New Orleans