03/22/26 07:03:00
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03/22 19:02 CDT Steve Alker wins the Cologuard Classic with a playoff birdie
for the second straight year
Steve Alker wins the Cologuard Classic with a playoff birdie for the second
straight year
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) --- Steve Alker won the Cologuard Classic with a birdie on
the first hole of a playoff for the second straight year, beating Padraig
Harrington with a 4-footer Sunday in mid-90 degree heat.
Last year at La Paloma, Alker beat Long Island club pro Jason Caron with a
12-foot putt on the first extra hole.
Alker won for the 11th time in 100 career starts on the PGA Tour Champions. The
54-year-old New Zealander was nine strokes back after opening with an even-par
71, then shot a 62 on Saturday to pull within two.
"I just made some simple mistakes the first round," Alker said. "A couple
three-putts and missed the odd green here and there, and it was kind of silly
stuff. I tidied that up. I knew my game was in good shape."
Alker closed with a 65 to post at 15-under 198. Harrington, playing behind
Alker in the final group, hit his approach long and bogeyed the par-4 18th ---
missing a 10-foot comebacker.
Both players found the left side of the fairway on the 18th in the playoff,
Harrington with a driving iron. The Irishman hit to the back of the green from
146 yards, leaving a 30-foot downhill putt that slid by on the right. Alker hit
a gap wedge from 135 yards to set up the winning putt.
"Ultimately it all worked out," Alker said. "One hundredth start, really
special. I had no idea. It's just gone so quickly, I'm having so much fun out
here. To win here again is pretty special."
Zach Johnson closed with a 67 to tie for third at 13 under in his second start
on the 50-and-over tour. He won two weeks ago in Florida in his senior debut.
Tommy Gainey also was 13 under after a 68, Thongchai Jaidee (70) was 12 under.
Sixty-eight-year-old Bernhard Langer (70) was another shot back with K.J. Choi
(67), Thomas Bjorn (67) and Stewart Cink (67).
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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