TELFER’S THOUGHTS 23.3.26

Steve Alker hasn’t been very visible on the Seniors’ Tour in the United States this year for a very good reason. He’s been Down Under visiting his home country preparing for and playing in the NZ Open in Queenstown. No sooner was he back in the States than he quickly got back to his winning ways, picking up his 11th win on this Tour and probably his most spectacular.

At the halfway stage Alker was 9 shots off the lead but over the weekend he shot 62 then 65 to force a playoff with Padraig Harrington. Steve won on the first hole of sudden death with a 14-foot birdie putt. As remarkable as his comeback was, the fact is that this was Alker’s 100th event as a Senior and astonishingly he has never missed a cut, yes 100 starts for 100 cuts. That takes my breath away.

The Middle East has in recent years become an increasingly important arm of international golf. Its significance is especially relevant to the DP World Tour. A number of high-profile, big-moneyed events take place in the United Arab Emirates across late January and into February. Good fortune indeed was on their side this year as their four DP World events finished just 10 days before US and Israeli fighter jets took to the skies over the Middle East and carpet-bombed military, political and nuclear weapons’ factories in Iran.

The DP World Tour had just begun its African Swing when the bombs started to fall in the Middle East. The UAE unfortunately has become a regular target for Iranian missiles due to what Iran perceives as a nation with close economic ties to the United States. Since then, all regular activities from international sporting events to air travel have been thrown into chaos. Formula One Grand Prix for example has been cancelled or at least postponed until such time as the fighting ceases.

Meanwhile, life continues on, albeit rather prosaically in the golfing world. Ryan Fox is still recovering from the removal of kidney stones and hopes to play at least one tournament in the USA before the Masters begins at Augusta on 9 April. Two Koboris were in action over the past week. Kazuma in China and his older sister Momoka at the Australian PGA Championship in Queensland, won by Aussie Hannah Green, now a winner in her last 3 starts. It was also a very good week for our two leading players on the Ladies European Tour. Amelia Garvey finished in a tie for 5 th place which earned her A$20,000 and further back in a tie for 36th place was Momoka Kobori whose golf had been a model of consistency for the first 3 rounds, only for her to stumble badly on the front nine on the last day. Four bogeys and a double on this nine saw her turn in 43 and forgo any chance of a really big pay day. To Momoka’s credit she fared 10 shots better on the back nine to finish with a 76 - out in 43, home in 33. After three very good weeks in Australia, where all the tournaments were part of the European Tour, Momoka now sits in 22nd place on the Order of Merit. To retain her playing card for next year she must finish the year inside the top 70. Amelia Garvey is in an even stronger position now, sitting in 10th spot on that all-important Order of Merit.

Momoka’s brother Kazuma suffered a similar sort of fate to Momoka while playing in the Hainan Classic in China. After three good consistent rounds, Kazuma lost touch with the leaders on the final day with 3 bogeys marring his card, seeing him finish in a tie for 34th place.