Sport

Steve Alker stays hot at PGA Champions Tour season finale

17:12 pm on 12 November 2022

Steve Alker remains in pole position to win the PGA Champions Tour's season-long title at the halfway point of the last event on the calendar.

Steve Alker Photo: Photosport

The New Zealand golfer is two rounds away from hoisting the Charles Schwab Cup after carding a seven-under 64 on day two of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Saturday (NZ time).

It took him to 13-under for the tournament and gave him a one-shot edge over Irishman Padraig Harrington in Phoenix.

Harrington is the only player who can overtake Alker in the Schwab Cup standings, but needs to win the event and have Alker drop outside the top five.

"I know what I've got to do, the numbers are all there," said Alker, who is the only player in the field who's bogey-free through 36 holes.

"It's kind of black and white. I just try and put myself in position to win a golf tournament, that's big for me.

"Yeah, (Harrington) played well today, so I've got to keep hammering those birdies out."

Meanwhile Ryan Fox is tied for the lead ahead of the resumption of the weather-affected second round at the DP World Tour's Nedbank Challenge in South Africa.

Fox only got through three holes on day two before rain and lightning brought an early end to play in Sun City.

The Aucklander, who led after after day one thanks to a stunning first round display, was joined at eight-under par by England's Luke Donald before the hooter sounded.

Fox is hoping to become the first New Zealander to be crowned Europe's number one in the coming weeks having emerged as the closest challenger to Rory McIlroy at the top of the tour rankings.

Fox began the week second on the rankings, having already claimed two victories in a stellar 2022 season.

Victory at Sun City will move him above his rival ahead of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

- RNZ, Reuters