Golf NZ Professional News- Kiwis overseas -Hiller, Alker, Fox, Smail
Champions Tour rookie Steve Alker has kept his perfect record of top 10 finishes intact at the Sanford International over the weekend.
SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA - SEPTEMBER 18: Steven Alker of New Zealand hits his second shot on the 5th hole during the second round of the Sanford International Presented by Cambria at Minnehaha Country Club on September 18, 2021 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
The 50-year-old Hamiltonian finished in a tie for seventh after shooting rounds of 65, 70, and 67 to finish at eight-under-par at Minnehaha Country Club in South Dakota. He was just four shots back of Darren Clarke, who won a playoff over KJ Choi and Steve Flesch.
Alker has finished inside the top 10 in every event he’s played thus far on the Champions Tour. Although, that record was in danger come the final round of this weekend.
He began the day with pars at the first and second holes before bogeying the third. Alker bounced back with a birdie up the very next hole and made two more at the seventh and ninth holes to make the turn at two-under.
Alker began his closing nine with bogey at 10 but managed to counter with a birdie up the next hole again. After a string of pars, he made another birdie at 16 and signed for a final round of three-under to leap 11 places up the leaderboard.
He’s now had four top 10’s in four starts.
Ryan Fox has had an encouraging result at the Dutch Open on the European Tour as he heads to the back end of his 2021 season.
Dutch Open - Day Two
'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, NETHERLANDS - SEPTEMBER 17: Ryan Fox of New Zealand plays his tee shot to the 10th hole during Day Two of the Dutch Open at Bernardus Golf on September 17, 2021 in Cromvoirt, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
The big-hitting Kiwi fired rounds of 72, 68, 69, and 68 to finish 11-under around Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. He finished 12 shots back of Kristoffer Broberg, who won the tournament by three.
Fox began his final round with three pars before getting on the board with a birdie at the par 5 fourth. He took advantage of the par 5 seventh with another birdie and made a bogey at the ninth to make the turn at one-under.
The 34-year-old made further birdies at the 11th and 12th holes and made back-to-back birdies again at the 16th and 17th. He bogeyed the final hole of the tournament to shoot four-under.
Fox is now projected to move up three places in the Race to Dubai standings into 96th. The top 115 at the season’s end retain their cards for next year.
He’ll have the week off before playing in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews.
Meanwhile, on the Japan Seniors Tour, David Smail has finished in a tie for 15th at the Japan Seniors Open.
Smail carded rounds of 69, 67, 76, and 70 to finish at two-under for the event, 12 shots behind Taichi Teshima, who ran away with the event by seven.
Daniel Hillier will have mixed thoughts back in Europe following his week at the Hopps Open de Provence in France on the Challenge Tour.
Hopps Open de Provence - Day Three
MALLEMORT, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 18: Daniel Hillier of New Zealand plays his tee shot on the 4th hole during Day Three of the Hopps Open de Provence at Golf International de Pont Royal on September 18, 2021 in Mallemort, France. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Hillier shot rounds of 66, 73, 76, and 68 to finish at five-under for the tournament, 12 shots back of Alfie Plant, who won in a playoff over Marcel Schneider and Luas Nemecz.
After being one-over through his opening two holes, Hillier switched into gear with a birdie thrr followed by another five to get into red figures for the day.
He closed out his opening nine with another birdie.
Hillier began his back nine with a bogey at 10, which would be his final blemish of the day. He made birdies at 14, 15, and a final birdie at the 18th to shoot four-under and climb 25 places up the leaderboard.
He’s projected to move to 49th place on the Challenge Tour Rankings.
Fellow countryman Josh Geary missed the cut.
Finally, Julianne Alvarez has finished in a tie for 89th at the Guardian Championship in Alabama on the Symetra Tour.
The Wellingtonian carded rounds of 70 and 80 to finish at six-over.