GRAND BLANC — Steven Alker crashed the Block celebration.
Alker made 4 consecutive birdies on the again 9 en path to a final-round 4-under 68 to carry off a big-name leaderboard and run away with The Ally Problem crown at Warwick Hills Golf & Nation Membership on Sunday, Aug. 30. It was Alker's thirteenth victory on the 50-and-older PGA Tour Champions tour — together with his third this season and his second in as many weeks.
Alker, 55, from New Zealand, took sole possession of the lead with a birdie a birdie on the par-4 twelfth gap, then expanded it with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 thirteenth gap, as Michael Block, the one-time viral sensation, made bogey.
"Good quantity," Alker mentioned of his second-shot strategy into the thirteenth gap. "Labored out nicely."
Alker made birdies at Nos. 14 and 15, too, to run away with the title, bolstering his standing within the season-long Charles Schwab Cup factors race, which he's gained twice earlier than. Alker gained for the second time in Michigan, having gained the r.
Alker entered Sunday's remaining spherical two photographs again of Block, the 50-old PGA Tour Champions rookie who was on the lookout for his first win in any PGA Tour-sanctioned event.
However Block was caught within the mud in the course of the rain-delayed remaining spherical as extremely acclaimed golfers made expenses from all corners of the course. Nonetheless, Block was only one shot bck standing on the thirteenth tee, and he discovered the golf green.
His tee shot at 13 was on the correct facet of the golf green, and he was blocked out of the inexperienced by an overhanging tree. He tried to play a minimize, however double-crossed his 3 wooden and pulled it nicely left of the inexperienced. That left him short-sided. He left his third shot in need of a greenside bunker, then put his fourth shot within the bunker. He bought up and down for bogey, however with Alker's birdie, he walked off the inexperienced tailing by three.
Block, who was making simply his fifth begin on PGA Tour Champions, made birdie on the par-3 14th, however bogeyed the par-4 fifteenth, and his first title must wait. His final 5 wins of observe anyplace have been on the Southern California p. He's best-known for one swing: a hole-in-one within the remaining spherical of the 2023 PGA Championship, taking part in alongside Rory McIlroy.
Alker completed at 15 underneath, to win by three strokes over World Golf Corridor-of-Famer and two-time U.S. Open champ Retief Goosen, who shot a hard-charging 8-under 64 on Sunday. Goosen bought it to eight underneath on the day early on his again 9, however he missed brief birdie putts at Nos. 13 and 14 to halt the momentum.
"It's been an incredible week," Goosen mentioned. "Clearly wasn't adequate."
Stewart Cink, the 2024 and 2025 Ally Problem winner and a former British Open champion, shot a final-round 67 and end 11 underneath, tied for third with Block (74) and Greg Chalmers (69).
Ending sixth at 10 underneath was former Masters winner Angel Cabrera (71), and ending tied for seventh at 9 underneath was Padraig Harrington (73), a three-time main champion who gained the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills in 2008.
Brandt Jobe, father of Tigers pitcher Jackson Jobe, completed tied for twelfth at 8 underneath, after a Sunday 69. The spotlight of the week was catching up together with his son, who he noticed pitch Wednesday at Comerica Park.
"It was a busy week, evidently," Jobe mentioned with a smile. "Total, a really good week. A busy week."
Wyandotte's Justin Hicks, who Tuesday-qualified into the Ally, completed tied for twenty seventh in his fourth begin on PGA Tour Champions. George McNeill, whose caddie is Lake Orion's Tom Gillis (previously a PGA Tour and Champions participant), completed tied for forty fourth.
r, with a one-year extension being finalized simply earlier than the 2026 occasion, event officers informed The Information final week. The 2027 Ally Problem will likely be performed Aug. 27-29.
Caught up with Brandt Jobe, who had a hella-busy week seeing his son, Jackson, pitch for the s and taking part in The Ally Problem, the place he’ll end barely outdoors the highest 10. h
— Tony Paul | Detroit Information (@TonyPaul1984) 6
Ally Problem champions
- 2018: Paul Broadhurst
- 2019: Jerry Kelly
- 2020: Jim Furyk
- 2021: Joe Durant
- 2022: Steve Sticker
- 2023:h
- 2024: Stewart Cink
- 2025: Stewart Cink
- 2026: Steven Alker
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This text initially appeared on The Detroit Information: c
