Steven Alker
Name:
Steven Craig AlkerCountry:
New ZealandBorn:
July 28, 1971 in Hamilton, New Zealand.Original/Home Club:
Occupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
1995Senior MAJORS (1): Senior PGA Championship (2022). Multiple wins on the Australasian, Web.com, Canadian and PGA Tour Champions Tours. Charles Schwab Cup winner (2022). PGA Tour Champions leading money winner (2022).
Born in Hamilton on New Zealand's North Island, Alker turned professional in 1995, and went on to enjoy a good level of journeyman success on various international tours. He won the Canadian Tour Order of Merit in 2002, but was ultimately unsuccessful in capturing any PGA Tour or European Tour wins.
Alker struck golfing gold after turning 50 in July 2021, recording his first PGA Tour Champions win that same year. He notched-up four more PGA Tour Champions wins in 2022, as well as a host of top ten finishes. His first men's senior major championship title came at the 2022 Senior PGA Championship.
America
Insperity
Played as the Insperity Invitational (Apr 28-30). Second-placed Steve Stricker (USA) finished 4 shots behind defending champion Steven Alker (NZ), who recorded his sixth PGA Tour Champions win, and second in this event. [Tournament course, The Woodlands CC, nr Houston, TX].
America
Charles Schwab
Played as the Charles Schwab Cup Championship (Nov 9-12; PGA Tour Champions 2023 season-ending event and last of three Charles Schwab Cup playoff events). Second-placed Ernie Els (RSA) and Stephen Ames (Can) finished 1 shot behind Steven Alker (NZ). [Phoenix CC, Phoenix, AZ].
Note: the season-long Charles Schwab Cup had already been won by Steve Stricker (USA) two events before this one.
Majors
KitchenAid
The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship (82nd) (May 26-29). Second-placed Stephen Ames (Can) finished 3 shots behind 50-year-old Stephen Alker (NZ), who recorded his first major championship win. Alker's last five PGA Tour Champions starts brought him three first place finishes, as well as a tied second and a tied third. [The GC at Harbor Shores, Benton Harbor, Mich].
America
Dominion
Played as the Dominion Energy Charity Classic (Oct 21-23; first of three Charles Schwab Cup playoff events). Second-placed Kyoung-Ju "KJ" Choi (S Kor) finished 1 shot behind Steven Alker (NZ), who recorded his fourth PGA Tour Champions win of 2022. [James River course, The CC of Virginia, Richmond, VA].
America
Insperity
Played as the Insperity Invitational (Apr 29-May 1). Second-placed Steve Stricker (USA) and Brandt Jobe (USA) finished 4 shots behind Steven Alker (NZ), who recorded his second win in the last three PGA Tour Champions events. It could have been three from three, had he not lost in a playoff the week before this event. [Tournament course, The Woodlands CC, nr Houston, TX].
Awards
PGA Tr Champions
Steven Alker (NZ) won the Byron Nelson Award, recording the 2022 season's lowest scoring average (68.27) on the PGA Tour Champions. Pádraig Harrington (Ire) was second with 68.33; Miguel Ángel Jiménez (Esp) was third with 68.94.
Awards
PGA Tr Champions
Steven Alker (NZ) won the Arnold Palmer Award as the PGA Tour Champions 2022 leading money winner, with earnings of $3,544,425 on the Tour. Pádraig Harrington (Ire) was second with $3,293,255 and Steve Stricker (USA) third with $2,473,725.
Awards
Charles Schwab
51-year-old Steven Alker (NZ) won the PGA Tour Champions season-long points chase, to capture the Charles Schwab Cup and $1 million annuity cheque. Padraig Harrington (Ire) was second with 4,105,455 pts; Jerry Kelly (USA) was third with 2,570,225 pts. The Cup is awarded based on points earned for top 10 finishes during the PGA Tour Champions wrap-around 2020/21 season.
America
Rapiscan
Played as the Rapiscan Systems Classic (April 1-3). Second-placed Pádraig Harrington (Ire) and Alex Čejka (Ger) finished six shots behind Steven Alker (NZ), who recorded his second PGA Tour Champions win. [Grand Bear GC, Saucier, nr Biloxi, MS].
Awards
PGA Tr Champions
Steven Alker (NZ) won the Jack Nicklaus Award as the PGA Tour Champions 2022 Player of the Year, based on the votes of his peers.
America
TimberTech
Played as the TimberTech Championship (Nov 5-7; second of three Charles Schwab Cup playoff events). Second-placed Jim Furyk (USA) and Miguel Ángel Jiménez (Esp) finished 2 shots behind 50-year-old Steven Alker (NZ). Alker recorded his first PGA Tour Champions win in his 9th start on the Tour ... all bar one of which produced a top ten finish and entry into the following week's event. [Old Course, Broken Sound Club, Boca Raton, FL].
Aus/NZ
HSBC
Played as the HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship presented by Christchurch (March 5-8; Aus/PGA Nationwide Trs event). Second-placed Josh Geary (NZ) and David Smail (NZ) finished 2 shots behind Steven Alker (NZ), who recorded the last of his three Australasia Tour wins (the other two coming in the 1996 Queensland Open and 1997 South Australia Open). [Clearwater Resort, Christchurch, NZ].
Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).
Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24).
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Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.
Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
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