Needing birdie on the ultimate gap to power a playoff with PGA Tour Champions stalwart and final-round taking part in associate Steven Alker, Michael Block ended up making bogey.
In the meantime, Alker made par on the final to cap off a 4-under 66 to win the inaugural Jefferson Lehigh Valley Traditional in Allentown, Pennsylvania, whereas Block signed for a 69 to finish up in solo third. Block began the ultimate spherical with a one-shot lead and was in search of his breakthough win. However that’ll have to attend.
Steven Alker performs his tee shot from the fourth gap throughout the last spherical of the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Traditional 2026 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
For Alker, his 14-under complete secured his fourth win in 2026 and thirteenth of his Champions profession. It has been a season the place Zach Johnson (six wins) and Stewart Cink (5) have taken management of the Charles Schwab Cup race, however do not look now, right here comes Alker, whose final 4 outings produced finishes of 1-1-T2-1.
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“I simply crushed it the final six weeks, the scoring received higher, my placing received higher, driving it higher, doing every little thing higher,” Alker mentioned after the spherical. “I did not have my A-game at this time, we did not have our A-game within the final group, however simply good to get it executed. Made some massive putts there on the finish. Simply so pleased with No. 4.”
Alker is third within the factors race, methods again from Cink and Johnson, however he is cooking now with simply two occasions remaining earlier than the beginning of the PGA Tour Champions postseason.
Alker’s win got here after an in-tournament caddie change, as his common bagman Troy Martin fell unwell on the flip throughout Friday’s first-round.
“Whyatt, he is an area man right here, he is solely 19. He is executed a terrific job, helped me on some putts right here and there I simply wasn’t positive of as a result of I hadn’t seen the golf course, hadn’t had sufficient time on it. So all of it labored out,” Alker mentioned. “It is fairly particular. And I like the golf course. We do not play golf programs like this day by day and each week, in order that was form of particular. I loved it, I had a blast.”
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Tag Ridings shot 64 on Sunday to slide previous Block into solo second at 13 below.
Sunday was deja vu once more for Block. A month in the past, he took a two-shot lead over Alker into the ultimate spherical, solely to shoot a final-round 74 and end tied for third whereas Alker went on to win.
This text initially appeared on Golfweek: Michael Block bogeys 18, Steven Alker wins for third time in final 4 begins
