[Photo: Christian Petersen]
Steven Alker’s remarkable renaissance from journeyman to PGA Tour Champions star went splash late on Sunday, allowing major champion Stewart Cink to emerge as the circuit’s reigning star, winning both the Charles Schwab Cup Championship and the season-long Charles Schwab Cup.
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Cink, 52, began the final round at Phoenix Country Club trailing Alker by one, then shot a four-under 67 that secured a two-stroke victory when Alker’s second shot at the par-5 18th hole went right and into the water.
It was Cink’s third victory of the season and the fourth win in his brief senior career.
“It was a good week start to finish,” said Cink, the 2009 Open Championship winner, who shot 20-under 264 for the week. “If I had to point to one stretch of golf that I was most proud of this week was probably the holes after a stretch of just nothing really good going on on Friday, but I finished with like three birdies in the last six, or something like that.
“I just got myself together and that was a big turning point for me because like everybody, we’ve all lost tournaments. So I was really proud of turning it around. It’s a great week. I’m very, very pleased.”
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Alker, 54, the New Zealander who has emerged as a PGA Tour Champions star after only a moderately impressive career on a variety of tours around the world, was seeking to win his 11th senior tour title and third Charles Schwab Cup. He entered the final round with a one-stroke lead, but made three bogeys in a five-hole stretch mid-round. He recovered with three birdies in a four-hole run on the back nine to get within one shot of Cink, until his second at 18 splashed right of the green.
“Up-and-down day,” Alker said. “I didn’t feel like I did a whole lot wrong, to be honest. Yeah, apart from the greens. I got a jumper flyer on No.10 and missed a short putt there. Had a three-putt at 12. Just felt like the putter – I three-putted one from the fringe today – just felt like it let me down on that front nine.
“[Cink is] a world-class player. He could still play on the PGA Tour. He’s got enough length and he still putts it nice and chips it nice. And a world-class guy, too. And a worthy champion. He’s had a great year. He’s going to be a force to be reckoned with out here.”
