Steven Alker fired six birdies and didn’t drop a shot in the final round to beat James Kingston by a single stroke with an excellent three-round total of -17 at the WCM Mexico Senior Open.
Kingston had teed off four shots behind Alker, who held the joint lead with Simon Khan heading into the closing 18 holes. But the South African shot a wonderful 63 – the best score of the week by three shots – to take the lead and post the clubhouse target of -16. Alker was one behind and still had four holes left to play and he rose to the challenge with a par-birdie-birdie-par finish to seal the one-shot victory.
Earlier in the day, Alker had made a positive start by picking up shots at the 2nd, 4th and 9th to edge into the solo lead before Kingston emerged as his main rival with a magnificent run around the turn. He was -1 for the day when he played four holes from the 8th in -5, including an eagle at the 11th. He reeled off another three red numbers in a row from the 15th to give himself hope of a fourth Legends Tour title, before Alker overtook him with birdies at 16 and 17 and closed it out with a par at the last.
“It feels fantastic,” said the champion. “I knew there were some chances, and the wind was down today, so I knew I had to go and make some birdies. I putted very well all day. I think that’s the big thing that kind of got me through today.
“I didn’t realize he (Kingston) shot that low, but I saw it coming and I saw the leaderboard at the 16th green. I made birdie there and we were tied, so I knew I still had to make some birdies coming in. And then just two nice shots on 18 to get it done.
“It’s special to come down here and see so many old faces I used to play with and still compete with them. That’s the great thing about the Tour – we’re out here still playing and competing. So yeah, it’s fantastic. And what a spot. Punta Mita has been amazing.”
Alker came into the tournament in excellent form, having finished tied-2nd in last week’s Charles Schwab Cup Championship to seal the Champions Tour’s Order of Merit for a second time in three years. He’s become a prolific winner in senior golf with eight Champions Tour titles since November 2021, including a major, and he can now add a first Legends Tour win to his CV.
While Kingston – the 2022 MCB Road to Mauritius number one – will be disappointed not to take the title, the runner-up finish is a welcome return to form having not recorded a top-10 in his last nine starts. It also lifts him to 7th on the MCB Road to Mauritius.
Greg Owen had seven birdies in a 66 that was enough to secure solo 3rd on -15. That’s a fifth top-8 finish of the year for the DP World Tour winner to move up six spots to 17th on the Order of Merit. Khan could only manage a 70 to finish 4th as his wait for a maiden Legends Tour title goes on, with Esteban Toledo the best-placed Mexican in 5th.
Major champion Shaun Micheel, three-time senior major winner Alex Cejka, and two-time DP World Tour victor Brian Davis were tied-6th on -10, with Alejandro Quiroz a shot further back.
It was a disappointing final round for MCB Road to Mauritius number three Peter Baker, who signed for a 73 to finish tied-10th alongside Mikael Lundberg and Keith Horne. Baker started the day in tied-3rd and had an opportunity to significantly close the gap to Adilson da Silva at the top of the Order of Merit, but he was +3 for the day before an eagle at 17 got him back into the top-10.
Da Silva closed out the week with a 70 to finish 26th and takes a 762.6-point advantage over Scott Hend in 2ndplace to the MCB Tour Championship Mauritius in early December. Baker remains in 3rd on the season-long standings with Joakim Haeggman in 4th and Robert Coles in 5th.
Click here to see the final leaderboard and updated MCB Road to Mauritius standings, and to find out more about the WCM Mexico Senior Open at Punta Mita Golf Club, Nayarit, Mexico. The Legends Tour now goes to the season-ending MCB Tour Championship Mauritius at Constance Belle Mare Plage, from December 6th-8th.
