Page 25 - Golf Champion - June 2022

Steven Alker can chuck those "My Name Is" stickers. never really sure if he'd ever reach these heights, when
he was playing the Australasia Tour, or in Canada, or
ess than a year into his Champions Tour career, which in his brief time on the PGA Tour, or on what's now the
Lfollowed decades of globe-trotting that included Korn Ferry Tour. He never considered walking away from
practically no success on the PGA Tour, Alker needs no the game entirely, but he used to consider other options
introductions anymore. The New Zealand native, who to help support a young family, like starting a business,
turned 50 last July, stormed from four shots back starting maybe a restaurant.
the final round to win the Senior PGA Championship at Certainly, he was to be eating good Sunday night after
The Golf Club at Harbor Shores. cashing the largest check of his life, $630,000.
With nine birdies, Alker fired a final-round, 8-under 63, In winning, Alker also held off World Golf Hall of Famer
the low round of the week, to win by three shots over Langer, who started the day two shots back and was tied
Stephen Ames and six over Bernhard Langer. It was his for the lead with a front-nine 32, then took the lead by
fourth Champions Tour victory in his last 11 starts. one at No. 10 — despite a disappointing par at that par 5,
when his tee shot and approach landed in divots.
He was holding the massive, 36-pound, 42-inch-tall Stunningly, Langer — seeking a record 12th senior major
Alfred S. Bourne Trophy off the 18th green before the last (he owns the record at 11) and a 44th Champions Tour
few players even finished their rounds. win (Hale Irwin is tops all-time, at 45) — then made three
Pretty cool is an understatement for a man who was straight bogeys on the back nine, from Nos. 12-14, to fall

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