Steven Alker ripped off six straight birdies to finish his first round with a bang and take a five-shot lead at the Simmons Bank Championship on Friday in Little Rock, Ark.
Alker posted an 11-under-par 61 thanks to his birdie binge. The New Zealander’s run began at the par-3 13th hole with a right-to-left birdie putt, and he also holed a putt from the fairway for birdie at the 16th hole at Pleasant Valley Country Club.
No other player in the field shot better than a 6-under 66, a score held by Tag Ridings, Justin Leonard, Stewart Cink and Australia’s Greg Chalmers.
For Alker, his day was reminiscent of his first round at this event last year, when he shot a 62.
“I just kind of felt like a bit of dejà vu,” Alker said. “I got there on the back nine and started making a couple birdies through 13 and 14, I was like, ‘This could be a nice round.’ Just kept the momentum going. You never think you’re going to shoot 61, you just don’t see it coming, and that was really nice to keep momentum.”
Alker won the Charles Schwab Cup in 2022 and is trying to put himself in position for another season-long title.
Only 52 players are in the field for this week’s penultimate playoff event. Alker entered the week No. 4 in the Schwab Cup standings and would rise to No. 1 with a victory in Arkansas. The current points leader, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, struggled to a 1-over 73 on Friday.
“Obviously, the golf course is in fantastic shape, and you get it in the fairway and you can attack the pins,” Alker said. “Then the greens are just so good. This is probably the best putting surfaces we putt on all year.”
Cink is second in the points standings and had seven birdies on his day, including an exclamation point at No. 18.
Then there’s Ridings, who stood No. 35 entering this week. Only the top 36 players will advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship next month in Phoenix.
A strong week for the 51-year-old Ridings, who’s yet to win on the PGA Tour Champions, would get him into that crowning event.
“You know, obviously, being in Arkansas is a great place, I love it,” said Ridings, from nearby Oklahoma City. “And a challenging golf course, so if you can keep it in play, then you’ve got a chance.”
Billy Andrade and Australian Cameron Percy shot 5-under 67. Charlie Wi of South Korea and Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland were tied at 4-under 68.
