Steven Alker in contention at Galleri Classic again. Can he finish the job?

USA Today

30-03-2025

Steven Alker in contention at Galleri Classic again. Can he finish the job?
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Strong winds hit the first day of the Galleri Classic golf tournament
Strong winds hit Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage on the first day of the Galleri Classic golf tournament
Steven Alker felt like he was hitting every club in his golf bag well on Saturday in the second round of the Galleri Classic. The only problem came from a club he didn't have in his bag.
Alker, the 2024 player of the year on the PGA Tour Champions, fired a bogey-free 7-under 65 on Saturday to move up the leaderboard into third place at 8 under, just two strokes behind leader Steve Allan.
On the 18th hole, a par 5 over the water that is reachable in two, Alker hit a drive he described as too good that left him with about 219 yards to the green, a perfect 4 iron. One problem, he didn't put a 4-iron in his bag Saturday. Instead of going for the green in two, he chose to lay up and settled for a par.
"They moved that tee up today, and I almost hit the drive too good and I was right in between (yardages). I don't carry a 4 iron. I had to risk hitting a 5 and I wasn't expecting that," Alker said. "But hey, kind of right in the thick of it. I'd rather make par than bogey for sure."
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The thick of it is where Alker lives. He seems to always be in contention. He already has a win on tour this year, and he has finished second the last two years at the Galleri Classic.
Another reason why Alker may have laid up on 18 on Saturday is the memory from the final round in Rancho Mirage last year when he went for the green in two and fell in the water, ultimately losing the tournament by a stroke.
"Yeah, that was in our mind," Alker said, referring to himself and his caddie. "Same thing tomorrow. If I'm there in the heat, right in there, and I haven't got a club, hey, I'll learn from past experience and try and make birdie however you can."
The 18th hole aside, Alker was very happy with his round Saturday. What was working in particular?
"Everything really. I drove it in the fairway, which is what you've got to do here, and that gives you a shot at the greens," the 53-year-old New Zealander said. "I played the par 5s a little bit better today and with the wind not up. I wasn't thinking so much about yardage, didn't have to dial it in so much. Yeah, it was just a good solid round of golf. I was happy."
Alker will be in the final group Sunday along with the two players ahead of him, Allan and Tag Ridings. With Allan only in the field as an injury replacement and Ridings in the field via Tuesday qualifying, it's hard not to like the veteran Alker's chances. He already has nine wins on this tour after all.
The gameplan is simple, he said.
"Just keep doing what I'm doing," he said. "Just got to pound those fairways, get at it. The greens are so pure. It gives you some chances. That's it."
Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun. Reach him at [e-mail].