BOCA RATON — Four months ago, few golf fans had heard of Steven Alker.
They’re going to be hearing a lot more from him.
Alker, who had zero status on the PGA Tour Champions when the New Zealander turned 50 in July, won the TimberTech Championship on Sunday by outdueling Jim Furyk down the back nine of The Old Course at Broken Sound Club.
Alker took the lead when he made a 25-foot putt at the 15th hole and added another birdie at the 18th hole to beat Furyk and Miguel Angel Jimenez by two shots. Alker shot a 4-under 68 to finish at 17-under 199 and end a seven-year winless drought.
Alker earned this victory – and a spot on next year’s PGA Tour Champions – through exceptional play. 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. Sunday’s victory marked his eighth top-10 finish in nine starts.
“It’s just been building,” Alker said. “I’ve been having chances. You have a bunch of top-10s and you get in the thick of it and just try to get a ‘W.’ Not that the top-10s aren’t any good, it’s just that you get that win, and just glad I got one today.”
Alker won four times on the Korn Ferry Tour, his last victory coming in 2014, and three times on the PGA Tour of Australasia. His best finish in a major was 19th at the 2012 British Open.
He’s certainly not a household name – not even among professional golfers. But that will change.
“I didn’t know much about him, either,” Furyk said. “He doesn’t really seem to have any weaknesses. It’s bitter there, but kind of told him on the 18th green I was really happy for him.
“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. He’s been knocking on the door and in the top-10 each and every week. Eventually you do that enough, you win a tournament.”
Alker thrust himself into contention during the second round of Saturday’s 36-hole marathon (caused when heavy rains postponed play Friday). He started the second round birdie-eagle-birdie and shot 29 on the Old Course’s back nine to sit just one behind co-leaders Furyk and Tim Petrovic entering Sunday.
He struggled on the front nine Sunday, playing his first six holes in one-over. But he made five birdies and no bogeys from there to earn the $305,000 first prize and improve from 46th to 22nd in the playoff standings.
Not bad for someone who had to wait until he turned 50 to get a tee time on the second-chance tour.
“I always know I’ve been good, but to play with these guys, it’s just a matter of feeling comfortable,” Alker said. “I think I’m comfortable right now playing with these guys, but giving yourself chances, I think that’s the biggest thing. Golf’s always about giving yourself chances and eventually it will happen.”
Jimenez gave himself a chance with three consecutive birdies on the back nine to get within a shot of the lead. But he made four consecutive pars before a birdie at the 18th gave the Spaniard a share of second place.
Ernie Els shot 71 and tied for fourth with Petrovic at 12-under 204. K.J. Choi (67) and Kirk Triplett (70) tied for sixth place.
Bernhard Langer finished T11 to maintain his lead in the playoff standings. Langer leads Furyk by 337,727 points entering next week’s Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix.
“Still got work to do.” Furyk said. “I would have loved to have won this event and then really made it probably a two-man race with Bernhard and I. Now there’s a lot more work to do. I’ll have to win in Phoenix.”
Meanwhile, Alker got his much-waited victory. With many more to come.