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Kiwi Alker sinks clutch putt to win lucrative PGA Tour Champions title
Darren Walton, AAP • March 10th, 2025 2:00 pm
Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Kiwi Steve Alker has crashed the party in a wild climax to a thrilling 24 hours for Australian golf.
As rookie sensation Karl Vilips cherished a maiden PGA Tour victory in just his fourth start after superstar Minjee Lee finished runner-up in China, Greg Pampling and Rod Chalmers both let late final-round leads slip on the Champions Tour in Arizona.
The veteran pair had to settle for joint third-place showings behind the triumphant Alker after faltering down the stretch at the Cologuard Classic.
Chalmers especially will be bitterly disappointed after the two-time Australian Open champion was accused of going "AWOL with his irons" while hunting a rare wire-to-wire victory.
The WA left-hander surged two strokes clear of the field, with Pampling his closest pursuer in second spot, before suffering a spectacular swing meltdown on the back nine.
"He's completely lost it physically," said one US TV commentator.
"He's got to go back to the fundamentals. He needs a magic word from the caddy. Something. He's just got to get it together."
Alas, he was unable to.
Chalmers bogeyed the 12th and 14th holes and had to scramble for a desperate par on No.17 after failing to find a green coming home until the last.
Rubbing salt into the wound, Chalmers narrowly missed a 10-foot birdie putt on 18 to finish one shot shy of the playoff as Alker and American Jason Caron and Alker were left to battle it out.
Caron and Alker both stormed home with final-round 66s to charge to 12 under for the tournament before the New Zealander prevailed with a birdie on the first extra hole.
