Steven Alker DROPS THE TROPHY as he wins for a fourth time on PGA Tour Champions
Alker lands his fourth title on the PGA Tour Champions as he bids to win his first Charles Schwab Cup.
Steven Alker captured his fourth title on the PGA Tour Champions this season with victory at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, and then proceeded to drop the trophy on the 18th green.
Alker, 51, has proven something of a late bloomer on the circuit this season having never won a PGA Tour or DP World Tour title down the years.
He did, however, win three times in Australia and four times on the Korn Ferry Tour prior to joining the PGA Tour Champions in 2021.
Alker won once in his rookie senior season at the TimberTech Championship, and despite playing in just nine tournaments last year managed to earn more than he did in his entire PGA Tour career.
But this season it has all come together for Alker who has surged into a commanding 700,000 points lead over Padraig Harrington atop the Charles Schwab Cup thanks to four tournament victories, something that only Steve Stricker (third in the rankings) has managed to also achieve.
The only mistake Alker has seemingly made all season came in the trophy presentation on Sunday evening.
WATCH ALKER DROP THE TROPHY!
The first mistake Steven Alker has made all year pic.twitter.com/2XovoGZzrj
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 24, 2022
Alker was tied for the lead heading into the closing stretch but quickly pulled clear from his rivals with three consecutive birdies from the 15th.
The New Zealander carded a final-round 67 to finish on 14-under par and one shot clear of South Korea's KJ Choi.
"It was kind of a dogfight down there at the end," said Alker.
"I was trying not to look at the leaderboard, because there was so many guys just trying to win this golf tournament. So I was just pleased to get … I made those clutch birdies on 15, 16, and especially 17, that was huge.
"So, yeah, just so glad to, especially with Paddy [Harrington] and Jerry [Kelly] playing so well and I’m right there as well. So it was exciting and nerve-racking, everything, all those emotions.”
There are just two more tournaments remaining on the Champions Tour schedule this season.
Alker will bid to defend his TimberTech Championship title in the first week of November, a week before heading into the season-ending Charles Schwab Tour Championship at Phoenix Country Club.
