Charles Schwab Cup Championship: Kiwi Steven Alker has a champion’s mindset with $2.5m payday on line in season-ending tournament

Kiwi golfer Steven Alker returns to a victorious scene with a quest to add more silverware – and a bumper payday – to his success on the PGA Champions Tour.

Phoenix Country Club in Phoenix, Arizona hosts the final event of the year, the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. And with Alker currently sitting second on the standings behind former world No. 1 South African legend Ernie Els, the equation is simple.

Win the tournament and he will take home the Charles Schwab Cup as overall season champion for a second time and will pocket not only the $US528,000 ($888,000) tournament prize money but also a $US1 million ($1.68 million) bonus for the season title.

Of course, there are 36 other golfers in the field who are out to beat Alker and Els – with 11 of those also having a shot to take out the Charles Schwab Cup.

Els can win it with a second, third or fourth place finish, provided none of the other top six players win the event – Stephen Ames, Padraig Harrington, YE Yang and Richard Green – and Alker can win it with a second or third, providing Els finishes outside the top five and no other in the top six wins.

Destiny in your own hands is a rarity at elite level sport and Alker can put all the guesswork to bed if he were to win in Arizona.

Working in his favour is the fact he won this same event, at the same course against Els in 2023 – working slightly against him is the fact he has won just once on Tour this year – consistent runner-up and 15 top 10 finishes are what have him sitting in second.

Steven Alker returns to the scene of victory in Arizona. Photo / Getty Images

Alker said knowing his game wasn’t quite where it needed to be to win was frustrating, but doing enough to place well in tournaments and give himself a chance at the overall title made for a pleasing 2024.

“The consistency was good, a lot of top tens. It’s kind of tough to do when you’re game’s not there and you’re still top ten, top five. You’re kind of there or thereabouts.

“There were some chances, some tournaments where I thought ‘Boy I wish I could have won that one’ but the competition’s getting better out here. It’s strong.”

“You’ve just got to stand up and keep going every week.”

Winning the final event last season wasn’t enough to take out the season title, eventually finishing runner-up to American Steve Stricker. After winning the Schwab Cup in 2022, Alker said a second title would be satisfying personally as it shows he can maintain form throughout a season

“Just to have another on the mantlepiece would be great. Season-long play has been consistent, that’s what it shows. To be right there, to have a chance to win the Schwab Cup after second last year as well for me the consistency is there which I’m really pleased and proud about.”

While the Cup Championship is just another golf tournament, Alker said his mindset in the lead-up to the season-ender is that of a defending champion.

“For me personally, I won the actual tournament last year so I’m here defending the championship. That’s not always easy, but I’m here to win.”

The Charles Schwab Cup Championship tees off Friday morning NZT with Alker, Els and Irish great Padraig Harrington grouped and teeing off at 9.20am.

Will Toogood is an online sports editor and golf reporter for the NZ Herald. He enjoys watching people chase a ball around on a grass surface so much he decided to make a living out of it.