Steven Alker made a remarkable impression on the first day of the Senior British Open, shooting a 7-under 63 on Thursday at the prestigious Old Course at Sunningdale. He fired a spectacular round highlighted by six birdies and an eagle. That deft desection helped move him to one shot clear of Australia’s Mark Hensby, as he seeks his second senior major gold.
The Senior British Open is the last of the year’s four major tournaments on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. With a dynamic start, Alker’s performance bodes well as the championship unfolds. He’d like to extend his resume that already boasts two Charles Schwab Cup crowns and nine PGA Tour Champions victories.
From tee to green, Alker proved to be methodical and effective with a low-risk approach. He consistently hit the right spot on the fairways when necessary and showed good iron game. His putting was especially strong on the back nine, building his momentum throughout the round.
“I was just efficient today. Drove it in the fairway when I needed to and iron play was solid and just made some putts, especially on the back nine, just kind of kept things rolling,” – Steven Alker
With this performance, Alker proved once again that he has what it takes to play at a high level. Although he has just a single senior major title—the Senior PGA Championship in 2022—he’s still a beast on the course.
Alker recognized the key to any initiative like this is sustaining momentum, and viewed this opening round as a great start.
“Always need momentum. It’s a nice opening round for the Senior Open,” – Steven Alker
As the tournament continues, all eyes will be glued to see if Alker can hang on to claim his victory. Could he pull off yet another big win? His experience and savvy in playing tricky, demanding courses will certainly be key in the rounds to come.
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