Steven Alker Wins Fourth Title of 2026 at Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic

• Steven Alker won the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic at 14-under 196.
• Tag Ridings finished one stroke behind after a final-round 64.
• Alker’s fourth victory of 2026 was his third win in four starts.

Steven Alker birdied the 16th and 17th before completing a 4-under 66 to win the inaugural Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic presented by Sodexo by one stroke over Tag Ridings at Lehigh Country Club on Sunday.

The 55-year-old New Zealander followed successive 65s with his closing 66 to finish at 14-under 196, securing his 14th PGA Tour Champions title in his 115th start.

Nineteen-year-old Lehigh Country Club caddie Whyatt O’Rourke was on the bag for Alker’s win. He took over during Friday’s opening round when Alker’s longtime caddie Troy Martin left because of illness, then stayed on the bag for the remainder of the tournament.

Late birdies keep Alker ahead

Alker began Sunday one stroke behind Michael Block, whose bogey-free second-round 63 had taken him to 11-under. An opening birdie brought Alker level, before a bogey at the 3rd left him trailing again.

Birdies at the 4th and 5th put Alker ahead for good. A dropped shot at the 8th reduced his advantage to one, but he added another birdie at the 11th before the consecutive gains at 16 and 17 helped him withstand the closing challenge.

Ridings made seven birdies against one bogey in his 6-under 64, including birdies at both the 16th and 17th. The 52-year-old finished at 13-under for his third runner-up result on PGA Tour Champions, following second place at the 2025 Galleri Classic and a tie for second at last year’s Simmons Bank Championship.

Block was still only one stroke behind standing on the 18th tee, but he closed with a bogey and 69, finishing third at 12-under. It was his best finish on the circuit in his seventh start on a sponsor exemption.

Alker had also overturned Block’s lead at The Ally Challenge in August. Block shared third place that week; this time, he claimed the position outright.

Going to need a bigger trophy case 🏆🏆🏆🏆 https://t.co/LpiVFeBHer

— PGA Tour Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 4, 2026

Three wins in four starts

Alker has finished first or second in each of his last four appearances: victories at the Rogers Charity Classic and The Ally Challenge, a tie for second at the PURE Insurance Championship, and now the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic.

His other victory this season came at the Cologuard Classic in March. Four wins from 17 starts puts him behind only Zach Johnson, with six titles, and Stewart Cink, with five, for victories on PGA Tour Champions in 2026.

Alker has also been inside the top-5 after each of his last eight rounds, and won three of his five starts in the final group this season.

“It’s pretty special, I haven’t [won four times in a year] since ’22. Kind of a little bit surprised. I just crushed it the last six weeks, the scoring got better, my putting got better, driving it better, doing everything better. So I didn’t have my A-game today, we didn’t have our A-game in the last group, but just good to get it done. Made some big putts there at the end. Just so happy with No. 4.”

Cink extends his Cup lead

Cink made eight birdies in a 7-under 63 to climb from tied 13th into a share of fourth at 11-under. His round matched Block’s Saturday score as the lowest of the inaugural tournament.

Robert Karlsson joined Cink after a 66 featuring an eagle at the par-5 6th. Richard Green birdied the final two holes for a 68 to complete the tie for fourth, while fellow first-round co-leader Y.E. Yang finished seventh after a 68.

Ridings rose from 31st to 21st in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, while Alker remained third. Cink extended his lead over second-placed Johnson to $478,061, with $3,773,675 against Johnson’s $3,295,614.

Related: Austin Smotherman Wins Bank of Utah Championship in 100th PGA Tour Start

A double bogey briefly cut his lead to one, but Smotherman recovered to beat Doug Ghim by two shots, set a tournament scoring record and secure a two-year exemption.

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