Golf: Steve Allen stuns major winners to claim Boeing Classic victory
Now three wins later and with more than $3m in prizemoney, things are no longer a' little bit tight' for the 51-year Victorian, who has tasted victory again.
Allen, the 2002 Australian Open champ who never won on the US PGA Tour, took down a field including major champions Ernie Els and Darren Clarke to record a one-shot win over 2009 British Open winner Stewart Cink at the Boeing Classic.
It's a remarkable turn of events for Allen, who had to go through qualifying school to get on the Champions Tour and has racked up $3.1m in prizemoney across 2024 and 2025, with $2m coming on the back of his three wins this year.
Allen found it hard to explain his late-career success but said not worrying about money now helped a bit.
'Yes, definitely, definitely less stress, I think. You know, coming through Q-School to get on this tour and having a chance at 50 to play golf for money is amazing, so it's all bonus,' he said.
Steve Allen won the Australian Open in 2002.
'I've been off the main tour since 2009, so things get a little bit tight there when you're not making any money. I think with that, matured a bit, not getting ahead of myself, not stressing about things and just playing and seeing what happens.
'Like I said, I'm not trying to force it. I'm not getting upset when things go wrong, I'm just trying to play and have fun.
'I think I found a bit of a groove with my swing. I think I'm more aware of what I'm doing wrong when it goes wrong. I had a fairly tough few years there, so when things do start to go wrong there, I'm not panicking anymore.
'Beginning of last year I had a few tournaments where I didn't play very well, so I'm going into today, just let it happen. I'm not trying to force it, I'm not trying to push it, I'm just trying to play.'
Allan played 214 US PGA Tour events and 164 more on the US secondary tour without a win before turning into a trophy hunter after turning 50, the qualification age to play on the Champions Tour.
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