Steve Dykes/Getty ImagesNew Zealand golfer Steven Alker has proven to be an instant force on the United States seniors tour.New Zealand golfer Steven Alker wrapped up his first season on the highly competitive United States seniors tour in style with another strong finish. Alker shot a final round 67 at the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship PGA Tour Champions event in Arizona. Two birdies on the final two holes earned him second place and a NZ$355,000 pay day. American great Phil Mickelson birdied three of the final four holes to shoot 65 and claim a one-shot victory at 19-under in an elite field of 36 players.PGA TOUR CHAMPIONSA birdie at 18th gives Kiwi golfer 2nd place in Arizona. The 50-year-old Alker only qualified for the PGA Tour Champions division at the end of July, and recorded nine top-10 finishes in the 10 tournaments he played, including winning last week’s event in Florida. READ MORE:* Age has not wearied new golfing wonder Steven Alker * Steven Alker wins in Florida on red letter day for New Zealand golf* Steven Alker leads PGA Tour Champions’ playoff opener His season earnings hit an incredible NZ$1.628m. Alker’s consistency continued amidst some huge names of the sport on Monday (NZT) as he fired in five birdies and one bogey in a pressure-cooker round that saw him feature all day on the leaderboard. Starting the day in a tie for third, Alker briefly had a share of the lead after 11 holes. But Britain’s Darren Clarke upped the ante with a 7-under 64 that had him as clubhouse leader before Mickelson, a six-time major champion, started his stunning run over the closing holes. Mickelson joined Jack Nicklaus as the only player to win four of his first six PGA Tour Champions starts. German great Bernhard Langer laboured through a 2-under 69 on Monday, but that was enough to win his sixth PGA Tour Champions season points title.
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