New Zealand’s Steven Alker shot a final round 6-under-par 65, then won a playoff against Ireland’s Padraig Harrington to capture his second straight Cologuard Classic on Sunday afternoon in Tucson, Ariz.
As the event’s first-ever back-to-back champion, Alker achieved a remarkable comeback by rallying from nine shots behind entering play Saturday.
It was also the second straight playoff at the event, with Alker defeating Jason Caron on an additional hole a year ago.
“Yeah, it’s great. It kind of feels like deja vu, to be honest, the way it
played out,” Alker said. “Yeah, happy to have a chance to win the golf tournament and ultimately it all worked out.”
Alker quickly made the comeback a possibility by tying a La Paloma Country Club course record with his 9-under 62 on Saturday, then he picked up where he left off with three birdies over his first six holes.
An 11-time winner on the Champions Tour, Alker added birdies on Holes 9, 11 and 16, then held off Harrington with a birdie in the playoff to win his first tournament since last year’s Simmons Bank Championship.
An unfortunately timed bogey for Harrington on the par-4 18th necessitated the extra session, after Harrington had grabbed a one-stroke lead with his birdie on the par-3 17th.
Harrington had six birdies and two bogeys, but settled for par in a do-or-die situation during the playoff, again on the 18th. His first putt from the green couldn’t connect, giving Alker the win.
Zach Johnson (67) and Tommy Gainey (68) played well on the 16th, each finishing under par on that hole to reach 13 under for the tournament, within two strokes of the leaders.
Neither golfer could make up further ground over the final two holes and finished tied for third.
Saturday co-leader Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand finished alone in fifth place (12 under) after his 1-under 70.
Four golfers finished in a tie for sixth at 11 under: South Korea’s K.J. Choi (67), Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn (67), Germany’s Bernhard Langer (70) and Stewart Cink (67).
First-day leader Bo Van Pelt fired a 69 to get to 10 under and finish in a tie for 10th place.
