Aussie Steve Alker is what’s termed a “disruptor” on the Champions Tour.
The PGA Tour Champions is one of the hardest tours in the world to access for a player who wasn’t a big name during his days on the regular tour.
Alker probably spent enough time on the PGA Tour to have a couple of cups of coffee — so he’s one of the truly amazing stories in the world of golf as he basically took the hard road to the over-50 circuit. He started as a Monday qualifier, then once he got in, stared rattling off top 10s then won at the TimberTech last year. Since then, he’s been nothing but a world-beater. He won in April at the Rapiscan then won again the first week in May at the Insperity.
He has soared to the top of the Charles Schwab Cup standings — he’s a firm No. 1 followed by Miguel Angel Jimenez, the only other senior with two wins this season. Retief Goosen, Bernhard Langer and Steve Parel all have a win this season and are numbers three, four and five respectively on that Schwab list.
So now the seniors head to Birmingham for their first major of the season — the Regions Tradition — where regular tour journeyman Alex Cejka defeated Steve Striker in a playoff last year to win.
The setting is the Greystone Country Club in Birmingham and Alker is the favorite to win his first senior major.
Stricker made a successful return after a long layoff and finished T2 at the Insperity. After his loss to Cjeka in the playoff last year, Stricks has to be considered one of the favorites this week. Stricker knows the layout and won the title in 2019.
This is the first of back-to-back majors for the seniors. Next week they head to Benton Harbor, MI., for the Senior PGA at Harbor Shores.
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson In PGA Field:
The PGA of America has released the field for the 2022 PGA Championship next week at Southern Hills and both Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods are on the list.
That being said, the 156-man field is not finalized as Bryson DeChambeau’s name is on the list and DeChambeau is still recovering from surgery to the hamet bone in his left hand.
Parker Coody Gets Two Aces In Open Qualifier:
University of Texas golfer Park Coody, twin brother of Pierceson, did something extraordinary at a U.S. Open qualifier at Forest Creek Golf Club in Round Rock, Texas.
During his round, he made aces at the 190-yard par three eighth hole then got another on the 160-yard par three 17th. He needed both to advance. He shot 69 and earned one of five local qualifying spots. He was a shot ahead of having to face a seven-way playoff for the final three spots. Medalist at the qualifier was Chandler Phillips at five-under.
