Steve Alker is at it again in Michigan
Steve Alker – image courtesy of PGA Tour Champions
Steve Alker has today won his 13th PGA Tour Champions event with a three-shot victory at the Ally Championship at the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan, his third win of season 2026, and his second victory in succession following his win in Canada last week.
In five starts in this event, Alker has now recorded a win and two top 3 finishes, highlighting his affinity with the Warwick Hills layout.
Alker began the final round two shots behind Californian Michael Block but quickly gathered him in with an outward nine of 34 to Block’s 37, and as he headed into his final nine holes the 55-year-old New Zealander was tied with Retief Goosen, who was playing over and hour ahead on the golf course and was 8 under for the day through 12 holes.
Goosen however, was unable to build on his stunning start to the day, and when Alker birdied four holes in succession in the middle of his back nine, it was a case of just how many he would win by.
The momentum would slow for Alker also, but he had done enough to win by three over Goosen, with Stewart Cink, Greg Chalmers and the aforementioned Block sharing 3rd place another shot back and tied for 3rd.
Alker remains in third position in the Charles Schwab Cup standings and takes his season earnings to US1,725 million and career earnings to US$14,640,000.
Alker talked after his win about the prospect of challenging for the Charles Schwab Cup once again which he has won twice and finished runner-up on two occasions; “Yeah, you know what? Yeah, I’m still here, but I’ve got a lot of work to do. I mean, if I can just hang around and sneak in there, those double points in the Playoffs, who knows? Just get something going. But Stewart (Cink) and Zach (Johnson) are having great years. I mean, they’re going to be super tough to beat.
Australian left-hander Chalmers recorded his equal best finish of the season to improve to 35th in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, the 52-year-old in his third season on the PGA Tour Champions.
Michael Wright was the next best of the Australasians when he finished in a share of 14th.
