Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II (9.5 Carl Yuan whats in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. Prior to making eagle on the par-5 15th hole, he birdied the par-5 13th. And for most of the past 15 years he has been a caddie on the Korn Ferry Tour. Its really cool. Brandt Jobe reads his yardage book on the fourth green during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. Alker literally was playing week to week, needingto finish in the top 10 to qualify for the next event. It was huge, Alker said. He recalled a conversation with Jerry Kelly during the offseason. The win kind of comes with all that. Solomon: DeMeco Ryans the right coach at the right time, 3 pressing questions facing new Astros GM Dana Brown, Jabari Smith Jr. growing up in NBA with an assist from his father, Poor parent behavior is driving high school sports refs away. Just perseverance, a euphoric Alker said. He also finished runner-up at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai and the ClubCorp Classic; losing in a playoff on both occasions. The golfers who put on the biggest charge Sunday were too far behind entering the round to factor in the championship. You could see it every week at the end of the Korn Ferry year he was getting a little more excited and looking forward to the move and he just looks comfortable.. Next week well sit down and think about what weve done and the win and it will sink in a bit more then.. He returned to the Nationwide Tour (now Web.com Tour) in 2009. I never would think about it, Alker said. Alkers third-place finish is worth $210,000, bringing his 2022 total $3,544,425 and career total to $4,710,632. It actually got a bit better today. , money, salary, income, and assets. opened up. With a check for $305,000, the Kiwi has earned $896,207 more than he made in his PGA Tour careerin just nine tournaments since he qualified for the Boeing Classic outside Seattle in late August for his PGA Tour Champions debut. He overtook Petrovic with a 12-foot birdie putt on No. He works tremendously hard but he works very smart. Brandt Jobe plays a shot from a bunker on the first hole during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. Its all been life-changing in terms of security, a place to play and financially, that comes with it. We have a second career. But would he pick up where he left off? And while Alker will always remember that long putt, Furyk will look back on No. Its been a great run. Its been awhile. Just trying to stay in the moment see that big stop sign and get all the thoughts out of my head, he said after shooting a 68 to cap a 17-under 199 for his first Tour Champions title. Ames, who shared the 36-hole lead and was the 54-hole leader, shot 70 in the final round and finished second. I can hit all sorts of different shots with it thats the great thing.. 2023 www.palmbeachpost.com. He becomes another international player to win the Insperity. Monday Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OURVISITOR AGREEMENT(UPDATED 1/6/23),PRIVACY AND COOKIES NOTICE(UPDATED 1/4/23) ANDCALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE. Alker is turning into a rising star on PGA Tour Champions. We have estimated BOCA RATONAll Steven Alker needed was to see was that Big Stop Sign.. Support, and the game coming around, people helping me just to get me in shape, caddie, everybody. Youve got to keep being competitive and he did that. Unfortunately he passed away about four years ago so he didnt get to see this. https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/11/08/opinion-steven-alker-pga-tour-champions-timbertech/, Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America, Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland, Alker outduels Furyk to win TimberTech Championship, PGA Tour approves radical schedule changes, reducing fields in elevated events and ending cuts, Drivers used by PGA Tour pros ranked in the top 10 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. Those are the ones. He had played in 10 events, posted nine top-10s and pocketed $1,146,207. Im scoring so well. You feel it trending and then the first win. 16 when he missed an 8-foot birdie putt that would have pulled him back into a tie with Alker and put the pressure on the rookie for the final two holes. Hes very fundamentally sound in every part of his game. He fired four rounds in the 60s, including a closing 63. Its also his 10th consecutive below-par round after shooting his second-lowest 36-hole score. Finally, he converted for his first win since he registered the last of his four Korn Ferry titles at the 2014 Cleveland Open. An American professional golfer, Steve Stricker has been a part of the top ten in the Official World Golf Ranking for over 250 weeks. Steven Alker walks to the 18th green during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. At the 2014 Cleveland Open on the Web.com Tour, Alker beat Dawie van der Walt on the 11th playoff hole, a tour record for longest playoff. Rounds of 67-73-67 in his first Champions event netted him a tie for seventh in the 2021 Boeing Classic, and that would be it for his Monday qualifying days as that top-10 finish earned him a spot in the field the next week at the Ally Challenge, where he finished solo third. This is a carousel. This now is one of my favorite places in America, he said of Boca Raton. Because Ive come a long way in just a month.. Steven Alker tees of on the seventh hole during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. Alker earned this victory and a spot on next years PGA Tour Champions through exceptional play. MORE: Phil Mickelson commits to playing in PGA Tour Champions season finale. He has been a member of the PGA Tour of Australasia since 1995. He tied for seventh, which earned him a spot in The Ally Challenge the following week for being in the top 10. Now there's a lot more work to do.. Alker won three times before June 1 and then won for a series-tying fourth time to open the Schwab playoffs. Sam has a great personality, Alker said. Steven Alker holds the champions' trophy after winning the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. The top three finishers Alker, Stricker and Jobe came into the final 18 holes atop the leader board at 12 under. Life has changed a lot in the last year, said Alker, who grew up playing tennis and cricket along with golf. The calendar change to 2022 didnt slow him down. Hes just I think the preparation of playing with those young kids on the Korn Ferry Tour and competing with them just kept him going. The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark, and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission. WITB Time Machine: Chris DiMarco WITB 2013. The eagle doubled Alkers lead to four shots and put him in comfortable position going down the stretch. I love Jerry to death, Alker said. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? And now my son has his license and my daughter has her provisional license, so were probably gonna be a three-car family soon.. He has finished in the top 10 in 16 of his 19 starts, nine of them top-three finishes. It went to Alkers wife. In 2021, 18 days after he turned 50 which made him eligible for the PGA Tour Champions, Alker flew to Seattle looking for an outside shot at getting into the Boeing Classic. He lost 30 pounds over the past six months. He has spent time as a teaching pro. WITB Time Machine: Chris DiMarco WITB 2013. Im really enjoying that part of it.. [5][6], In May 2022, Alker won his first senior major championship at the 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at The Golf Club at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan. That ended with a third-place finish and a spot in the next event. [1] He finished 20th in the Web.com Tour Finals to earn his PGA Tour card for the 201415 season. The history in the wake of his senior debut is ancient and now largely forgotten, though Stephen Ames remembers. The Korn Ferry trademark is also a registered trademark, and is used in the Korn Ferry Tour logo with permission. He showed this weekend that his game is sharp, even though at times he experienced fatigue. But he never really had any measure of success on the PGA TOUR. I watched Steven play on the European Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, and all of the sudden out here, wow, the runner-up Ames said. Any person that's an un-name player coming out, getting a name for himself the way he's been doing, it is phenomenal.. A career journeyman until joining the PGA Tour Champions, Steven Alker won the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, his fourth victory in 19 senior starts He Monday-qualified for his first event on the 50-and-older circuit in late August and rattled off six consecutive top-10 finishes to keep earning a spot in the next tournament. Choi (67) and Kirk Triplett (70) tied for sixth place. Steven Alker tees off on the seventh hole during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. He played on the European Tour in 1998 and 1999, also competing on Europe's developmental Challenge Tour in 1999. Let me say just as consistent and as quick as weve done it. Steven made that big putt at 15 and I couldnt top him on 16 and he then played really solid, Furyk said. Theyre going to be hearing a lot more from him. My kids are 18 (daughter) and 16 (son). Which always brought up the familiar question: When are you going to stop chasing the dream? Steven Alker's up-and-down winning birdie at TimberTech Championship. All rights reserved. Ill ask his caddie to get a pics for you. Give me a week or two Alker and Workman said it was Australian caddie and mutual friend Tony Lingard who put them together at the start of the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour season. Its just been building, Alker said. Here are your options. Meanwhile, Alker got his much-waited victory. Then came his 50th birthday on July 28 and another whole new world (tour?) Its a home game this week (Alker has made his permanent home in Phoenix for the past 12 years), lot of friends and family will be here. Weve been a one-car family for a long time and we have two cars now. Masters: Wanna play Augusta National? Stop all your thoughts.. He hasnt played in a PGA Tour event since 2017 and he spent the majority of his pro career slogging through Korn Ferry Tour events. Let's go for it. Miguel Angel Jimenez reacts after making eagle on the first hole during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. Steven Alker plays his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. Alker credited the Korn Ferry Tour for getting him ready for PGA TOUR Champions. Simply put, the man has had one hell of a ride the past year, one he didnt expect in his wildest dreams. He doesn't really seem to have any weaknesses. Alker and Els each shot a 69 Saturday. Its just, you know, Ive played everywhere, Ive played everywhere and I think that kind of helped today in a way just playing the PGA Tour and Australasia and Asia and Korn Ferry, he said. It does take a lot of pressure off, said Alker, . Embrace it and enjoy it.. Steven Alker was born on 28 July, 1971 in Hamilton, New Zealand. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. A second-place finish at Phoenix Country Club the following week capped a whirlwind stretch and put $1,146,207 into his bank account. Miguel Angel Jimenez smiles after making eagle on the first hole during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. I won in Biloxi (Rapiscan Systems Classic), then went second, won again (Insperity Invitational), tied for third and won again (KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship). Theyre in the field for the finale courtesy of the victory, which propelled Alker into the top 36 in the Schwab Cup standings. Not bad for someone who had to wait until he turned 50 to get a tee time on the second-chance tour. Not before Alker signs it, of course. Hes probably as physically fit now as he was 20 years ago, so he hasnt gone backwards. I remember him deflecting the compliment, said Kelly, who like Alker has won three times this season and is his closest pursuer in the Schwab Cup standings. He had another one on 13 but then birdied the 14th. He overtook Petrovic with a 12-foot birdie Honestly, just having friends and family and the support here this week has been amazing, said Alker, who has lived in Arizona since 2002. Grizzlies 113, Rockets 99: 2nd-half flurry extends Houston's skid, Texas A&M's SEC title hopes quashed by Alabama's win over Auburn, DeMeco Ryans well aware Texans have priorities besides QB. 9. Steven Craig Alker (born 28 July 1971) is a professional golfer from New Zealand. Langer can get career win No. Now, finally, staying the course has paid off. Next week well sit down and think about what weve done and the win and it will sink in a bit more then., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Turns out, Alkers 50th birthday July 28, 2021 was the big break he had spent half his life in search of. Eventually you do that enough, you win a tournament.. Steven Alker tees off on the fifth hole during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. Miguel Angel Jimenez hits his tee shot on the seventh hole during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. Kelly spent some time in Arizona, where his wife was undergoing cancer treatment. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, The mastery (and mystery) of Steven Alker continues with his victory in the Senior PGA Championship. Kind of learned where Im at, which was good. Theyve got a few more options there. To kind of come from really no status out here on the Champions Tour to making the (Charles Schwab Cup Championship) in only nine or 10 events, that's playing some good golf. I would have been a little surprised if youd told me it would turn out like this, yeah, Alker said. He made 80 European Tour starts and missed the cut in 42, with only a single top 10. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Its bitter there, but kind of told him on the 18th green I was really happy for him. I mean, its crazy, like were talking a year later and its just gone by so quickly. It's fantastic, great to see. I would have loved to have won this event and then really made it probably a two-man race with Bernhard and I, Furyk said. No forgiveness needed I don't suspect a lot of people do. I appreciate the tip for the Forum post. Alker is from New Zealand - grinded the KF To Before the tournament, Stricker said his strength and stamina would be tested. Alker took the lead when he made a 25-foot putt at the 15thhole and added another birdie at the 18thhole to beat Furyk and Miguel Angel Jimenez by two shots. Theres times out there where I just feel like I dont have it, Stricker said. Its rattlesnake season in Texas. I rolled off a nice run after that. But that will change. 46 this week in Tucson. In fact, he posted six straight top-10s and earned a spot in the 2021 Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs. Alker had just rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt on No. Column: Isnt it time we heard from Georgia coach Kirby Smart? Alker played in the final grouping Sunday and entered the third and final round tied with Furyk one shot behind Tim Petrovic. Its been so much fun. More: Alker outduels Furyk to win TimberTech Championship. Alker says he never really thought about stepping away. Yainer Diaz becomes first Astros hitter to violate new MLB rules. The 2021 PGA Champions Tour money list is headed by 64-year-old German Bernhard Langer who has amassed almost $4m. Here are your options. The magical mystery tour continued for Steven Alker on Sunday, when the man who came from nowhere added a major championship to his inexplicably remarkable PGA Tour Champions run. He enters the 36-man Charles Schwab Cup Championship in 22nd place after starting on the outside at 46th in the points race. Even Harringtons blistering weekend scores of 62 and 65 had no bearing on the steady Alker. I just see the guy being in contention quite a bit. Steven Alker lines up a putt on on the fourth green during the final round of the Insperity Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, May 1, 2022, in The Woodlands, TX. [8] He also won the Arnold Palmer Award for the season-long money title and the Byron Nelson Award for the lowest scoring average for the 2022 season. Playing with Padraig today, it was kind of difficult because Do I chase him, do I protect? I just tried to play my game as good as I could, but he played amazing and just glad to be champion.. Then I got my roll going.. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Ive played everywhere. FYIThose are i20s in the bag shown, not S56s. Biding his time on the Korn Ferry Tour until he turned 50 on July 28, doing the hard yards as he put it, Alker had been a frequent visitor to Champions Tour leader boards. Its a home game this week (Alker has made his permanent home in Phoenix for the past 12 years), lot of friends and family will be here. Bernhard Langer is one win away from history. Weve been through a lot. That was nice, but it wasnt surprising to me. From the PGA Tour of Australasia (yes, there is such a thing) to the Korn Ferry Tour to the Canadian Tour to 86 starts on the PGA Tour in which he missed 47 cuts. Sam Workman, caddie for PGA Tour Champions golfer Steven Alker, died Monday less than three weeks removed from caddying a second-place finish in Hawaii to open the 2023 season. Like a power leak at times.