Steven Alker is on top of the golf world as the highest-ranked senior player and will soon set his sights on winning a major.
Alker has charged to the top of the Champions Tour money-earning list after winning the Insperity Invitational near Houston.
And the former tour battler looks in great shape for the five senior majors over the next three months.
It was another great pay day for the 50-year-old of Waikato origins, who picked up $534,000 for winning one of the more lucrative tournaments on the PGA Champions Tour.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.He crushed the field with a brilliant final nine holes, recording a final-round 66 to finish at 18 under and win by four shots.
Alker won two starts ago, and lost a play-off in his last outing, leaving golf pundits in awe.
"Spectacular, mind-boggling - he doesn't display any weaknesses in his game" is how commentator and golfing great Lanny Wadkins put it.
"Don't forget, he's seeing a lot of these courses for the first time.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME."When you watch him swing and play, what is there not to like?"
The Arizona-based Alker used a rain delay in the final round in Houston to adjust his game, saying he looked at TV coverage and decided to change his ball position once the action resumed.
"It's a fun ride - I'm just happy to be out here," he said when asked about the incredible turnaround in his career.
"It's a changed atmosphere - I've been welcomed so much."
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Alker jumps ahead of Spaniard Miguel Ángel Jiménez in money earnings for the year, and has won two of his seven starts in 2022. Jiménez - who has also won twice this year - three-putted from two metres on one hole and finished in a tie for eighth.
Alker - who had a journeyman career after moving to the US - was a revelation on the senior tour once he turned 50 midway through 2021.
He has carried on his amazing form into the new season in fields including golfing greats like Ernie Els, Fred Couples, Vijay Singh, Pádraig Harrington, Tom Lehman, Retief Goosen and perennial Champions champion Bernhard Langer.
He was absolutely superb during the final round of the Insperity.
Three consecutive birdies gave Alker a two-shot lead over the other members of the final group, Americans Steve Stricker and Brandt Jobe, after the 13th hole.
A quirky smile following his tee shot on the next hole told the story, as a mis-hit worked out beautifully and set up a birdie chance. But the run came to an end as the ball lipped out. But an eagle on the par-five 15th - completed with an eight-metre putt - effectively sealed the deal. He headed to the 18th with a five-shot lead over the pair, job done.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.Commentators believe the only slight weakness in Alker's game right now is his pitch shot but he compensated for that with some great work with the putter from off the greens. His work with the fairway woods was spectacular and on a couple of occasions when under pressure he produced terrific saves for par.
He gave the thumbs-up to a camera approaching the final green, and did a big fist pump to celebrate victory.
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