Warwick Hills Witnesses Alker's Remarkable Final-Round Charge
There's something about Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club that rewards patience. The Grand Blanc layout has hosted professional golf for decades, and on Sunday it reminded us why final rounds are meant to be savored, not rushed.
Steven Alker certainly understood the assignment. The 55-year-old New Zealander arrived at the first tee two strokes behind 36-hole leader Michael Block, waited out a two-hour rain delay, then produced the kind of steady, relentless golf that has made him one of the most formidable players on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.
A Historic Comeback at Warwick Hills
Alker's closing 68 delivered The Ally Challenge title by three strokes—the largest final-round comeback in the tournament's nine-year history. His 15-under 201 total was a masterclass in controlled aggression, the kind of round you dream about when you're standing on Warwick Hills' first tee, looking down a fairway lined with mature oaks and knowing 17 more holes of Michigan charm await.
This wasn't just any victory for Alker. It marked his second consecutive win, having defeated Y.E. Yang in a playoff at the Rogers Charity Classic in Calgary just a week earlier. A seven-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole sealed that one—the kind of clutch putting that separates good players from great ones.
The Numbers Tell a Remarkable Story
With this triumph, Alker now owns 13 career victories in just 113 PGA Tour Champions starts—an 11.50 percent win rate that ranks fifth-best in circuit history among players with at least 10 wins. Let that sink in for a moment. One in every nine starts, Alker finds himself holding the trophy.
His third title of 2026 joins an earlier victory at the Cologuard Classic in March, where he outlasted Pádraig Harrington on the first playoff hole. Alker has now won all three playoffs he's contested on the senior circuit. When the pressure rises, so does his game.
Goosen's Charge Falls Short
The day's lowest round belonged to Retief Goosen, whose 8-under 64 was a reminder that the World Golf Hall of Fame member still possesses serious firepower. The South African's charge earned him outright second at 12-under, his fourth top-three finish in 17 starts this season.
Block, the club professional who captured hearts at the 2023 PGA Championship, couldn't convert his first 36-hole lead on the Champions circuit. His closing 74 dropped him into a share of third alongside Charles Schwab Cup leader Stewart Cink and Australia's Greg Chalmers.
The Championship Race Tightens
Alker's victory moves him firmly into the conversation for season-long honors. He joins Cink and Zach Johnson as the only players with at least three wins this year. Cink's 67 on Sunday gave him his ninth top-three finish in 15 appearances during what's been a dominant five-win campaign.
The Schwab Cup standings now feature Cink leading, Johnson second, Harrington third, and Alker fourth. With the playoffs approaching, Alker's back-to-back victories couldn't have come at a better time.
Key Takeaways
- Alker's three-stroke victory represented the largest final-round comeback in Ally Challenge history
- The New Zealander has won his last three playoffs on the Champions Tour
- His 11.50% career win rate ranks among the all-time best on the senior circuit
- Goosen's closing 64 was the low round of the day but came up three short
- Block's third-place finish marked his third top-10 in just five Champions starts