Steven Alker Focused on Defending Insperity Invitational Title in The Woodlands

Photo courtesy of  2022 Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR
and PGA Media Website Archives

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (April 9, 2023) The newest star of the PGA TOUR Champions, Steven Alker (shown above), is first to add his name to the tee sheet for the 20th anniversary of the Insperity Invitational presented by UnitedHealthcare, April 24‐30, 2023. 

Alker notched four PGA TOUR Champions titles including the Insperity Invitational presented by UnitedHealthcare in 2022 to go along with four second‐place finishes and 18 top‐10s en route to capturing the season‐long Charles Schwab Cup title. 

“It’s been a fun ride and I’m just so happy to be out here on Tour. Everything has come around and I’m enjoying my game,” said Alker.   

Mother Nature couldn’t even slow Steven Alker down in The Woodlands last year. 

The Kiwi returned to The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course from a two‐hour Sunday rain delay by playing a six‐hole stretch in 6‐under par on the back nine to outduel Steve Stricker and win the Insperity Invitational presented by UnitedHealthcare on Sunday for his second of three victories on the PGA TOUR Champions in 2022. 

“I actually watched some footage up in the clubhouse (during the rain delay) and just changed my ball position and felt a little more on top of the ball. Just a tiny little thing and I started hitting some nice shots and driving it better,” said Alker. “I thank goodness we did have a little break because I kind of struggled, missed a few fairways early on and made some nice putts, kept me going. Then I got my roll going.” 

Alker has been on a sizzling run since Monday qualifying for his first event – Boeing Classic – in August 2021 where he finished T7. With the top 10, the New Zealander got into the following event and then recorded six straight top‐10s before notching his maiden victory at the TimberTech Championship. 

“Steven has been a wonderful ambassador for our tournament and the PGA TOUR Champions. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the Tournament’s 20th anniversary celebration than by welcoming him back to The Woodlands,” said Bryan Naugle, Executive Director, Insperity Invitational presented by UnitedHealthcare.   

“Once again Houston area golf fans will be treated to an incredible show at the end of April that will include golf’s legends, World Golf Hall of Famers, and new stars on the PGA TOUR Champions like Steven who have already started booking their tickets for our event.”  

First round of Insperity Invitational postponed until Saturday

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

THE WODOLANDS, TEXAS (April 30, 2021) With heavy rainfall continuing throughout the day, the opening round of the 2021 Insperity Invitational was been postponed until Saturday (May 1). The first players will tee off at 7:30 a.m. CDT, from the first and tenth holes. Three inches of rainfall occurred as of 3 p.m. CT on Friday, with more expected in the late afternoon. The second round will take place immediately after the completion of the first round, with each groups starting hole switched from the first round.

Insperity Invitational kicks off Friday

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (April 30, 2021) Eighty-one PGA Tour Champions are slated to compete in the Insperity Invitational, 54-stroke play competition with a no-cut format begin on Friday. The tournament, which was scheduled to kick off at 10 a.m. at The Woodland Country Club Tournament Course, was in a holding pattern with rain in the forecast and showers expected to continue into the afternoon.

The week kicked off on Monday and Tuesday with practice rounds, followed by the ever-popular Pro-Am on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday will see the actual tournament begin,, which is the fourth event on the PGA TOUR Champions schedule for 2021. 

Each champion from the last eight Insperity Invitationals will tee it up in the tournament, including four-time winner Bernhard Langer and defending champion (2019) Scott McCarron. The Insperity Invitational is the first of three consecutive weeks of events on PGA TOUR Champions, continuing at next week’s Regions Tradition before the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, May 14-16.

The the last edition of the tournament (2019), Scott McCarron made three birdies on the back nine of the final round en route to a two-stroke victory over Scott Parel at the 2019 Insperity Invitational. After Parel birdied Nos. 11 and 12 to even the score at 14-under, McCarron responded with back-to-back birdies of his own to rebuild a two-shot lead through 14.

 

McCarron birdied the 185-yard 16th, hitting an 8-iron to a foot, and regained a two-shot lead with two holes to play. A par-par finish secured McCarron’s second win of the 2019 season, marking his fourth consecutive year with multiple victories on PGA TOUR Champions. He went on to win the Charles Schwab Cup and was named the 2019 PGA TOUR Champions Player of the Year.