Steven Alker shares lead into seniors final round in Ohio

Steven Alker is in contention for major honours in Ohio.
Photo: David Berding / Getty Images / AFP

Kiwi Steven Alker is on track to win his second senior Major championship in the latest PGA Tour Champions event in Ohio.

The 53-year-old shares the lead with Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, who shot a sizzling 4-under-par 66 on Sunday in the Kaulig Companies Championship in Akron.

Alker, who led through Saturday with a pair of other golfers, managed to remain tied in first with his 3-under 67, despite the Spaniard’s hard charge.

Alker grabbed four birdies on the day to pair with a single bogey on the eighth in becoming the only golfer in the event to shoot below par all three days of the event thus far, Reuters reported.

He acknowledged the difficulty in making par on the course.

“Yeah, I mean, another tough day around here,” Alker said. “Boy, the course didn’t give us a lot with the wind, it was a little bit stronger today, course is drying out a little bit.

“Again, pleased to get under par and tied for the lead. Just again, go out and battle again tomorrow.”

Jimenez got to 8 under for the tournament – the third major of the PGA Tour Champions season – despite a bogey on No.12 thanks in part to three birdies on the front nine, and then back-to-back birdies on holes 10 and 11.

The 61-year-old has had a season to remember with three championships, already matching a career-high for him on the Champions Tour.

Australia’s Michael Wright matched Jimenez and American John Huston (T22) with the low round of the day at 4-under 66, tying him with Sweden’s Freddie Jacobson for third place at 6 under, two strokes back.

Fox off the pace at the Travelers

Ryan Fox is off the pace in Connecticut.
Photo: Matthew Harris / PHOTOSPORT

At the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, Kiwi Ryan Fox had a 2-under third round of 68, to sit at 2-under for the tournament.

He is in a five-way tie for 37th, 14 shots behind leader Englishman Tommy Fleetwood.

Fox started his round with a birdie, but bogeyed the fourth and fifth holes. He had birdies on the ninth, 15th and 17th holes, before closing with a bogey.

Fleetwood shot a 7-under-par 63 to break away from a high-profile group near the top of the leaderboard, Reuters reported.

Fleetwood, who – for the second time in three rounds – didn’t record a bogey, will carry a three-shot advantage into Monday’s final round at TPC River Highlands.

Russell Henley shot 61, and Keegan Bradley posted 63 to sit at 13 under. Australia’s Jason Day is alone in fourth at 11 under, after a third-round 67.

Scottie Scheffler, playing on his 29th birthday, started the day as joint leader, but a triple bogey on the par-4 first hole and a double-bogey on the par-3 eighth hole put him off pace. He plummeted to 7-under and in a tie for eighth place with a 72, aided by a birdie on the last hole.

Ko struggles at PGA Championship

Lydia Ko has had a challenging time in Texas.
Photo: SAM HODDE

At the Women’s PGA Championship in Frisco, Texas, Dame Lydia Ko had another tough round, finishing with a 2-over 74 to leave her 6-over for the tournament heading into the final day.

She is a nine-way tie for 26th, 12 strokes behind Australian Minjee Lee, who shot a 3-under 69.

Ko, who shot 75 and 73 in the first two rounds, had three birdies and six bogeys in her third round.

Lee has a commanding four-stroke lead going into the final round, Reuters reported.

Just five rounds at the tournament have been in the 60s and Lee has owned two of them.

“I just try to stay patient out there,” she said. “You can’t get ahead of yourself, especially in these conditions.

“It’s just only getting harder and harder just with I think pressure of a major championship, and also just the course just demands so much from you.”

The 10-time LPGA Tour champion is pursuing her third Major title, after previously winning the 2022 US Women’s Open and the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship.

World No.1 Nelly Korda (72) is tied with three others in sixth place at 2-over-par 218.

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