On a day when birdies were flying around Harbor Shores in the first round of the Senior PGA Championship, Steven Alker began soaring with an eagle.
The 50-year-old New Zealander, who already has won twice and leads the PGA Tour Champions money list with almost $1.2 million, started his round with a 25-foot downhill eagle putt on the 539-yard, par-five 10th hole after a 240-yard approach with a five-wood. He then finished his afternoon round with his sixth birdie of the day to shoot a seven-under 64, which was tied late in the day by 56-year-old Bob Estes.
Alker and Estes were a stroke ahead of Paul Claxton, a club professional from Georgia, and 52-year-old Canadian left-hander Mike Weir, the 2003 Masters champion, after the first round at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course on Lake Michigan, the site of four previous Senior PGAs since 2012.
"I'm playing with nice freedom right now," said Alker, who didn't seem fazed at all playing in the afternoon with World Golf Hall of Fame members Ernie Els and Bernhard Langer, who had rounds of 67 and 68.
"Little jitters on the first tee, but I'm making birdies and being aggressive which we could be because the greens were a bit softer and the course had softened up. It was kind of up there for the taking."