Richard Green leads Steve Alker in PGA Tour Champions major
Richard Green – photo PGA of America
While the world of regular male golf is playing its second major of the year, the PGA Tour Champions also have a major on their schedule this week, and Australasian golf is well and truly to the fore, with Richard Green one ahead of Steve Alker at the halfway stage of the Regions Traditions in Birmingham, Alabama.
The event has been played as one of the five majors on the PGA Tour Champions since its inception in 1989 with Jack Nicklaus (4) and Steve Stricker (3) the most prolific winners of the event.
Green led after a first round of 63 on Thursday and today added a round of 68 to lead by one at 12 under over Alker with another three shots back to Y.E Yang.
54 year old Green, who is still looking for his first win on the PGA Tour Champions despite some impressive performances, including six runner-up finishes, birdied his final two holes in today’s second round to finish ahead of Alker, who was playing nearly two hours behind.
“It felt a little bit like probably what I should have got out of the day,” said Green, referring to his strong finish. “I hit a lot of great iron shots and set up a lot of birdie chances and just missed ’em all. They’re a bit tricky, some of the reads today, so I was pleased to have finished well.
“Good golf’s been brewing for a little while so it was nice to be hitting good iron shots and setting up putting opportunities. If I can keep doing that through the weekend, I’ll be happy.”
Greg Chalmers is the next best of the Australians in a share of 13th place.
