Steven Alker was inspired by the Insperity Invitational.
Alker’s caddie Sam Workman passed away earlier this year. He died just three weeks after caddying for a second place finish in Hawaii at the start of the 2023 golf season. Workman died on February 6 of cancer in his Beeville, Texas home, approximately 100 miles south from San Antonio. Alker described it as a “sudden death” in an Instagram post.
This week, Alker’s friends and family gathered at The Woodlands Country Club in Houston to cheer him on.
“Great support. Alker told his audience after the round on Saturday, “We had a nice meal last night.” “I believe there were more folks from Beeville, and Silsbee. It was a good group out there. We had good support.”
The PGA Tour Champions wore Houston Astros ribbons in honor of Workman, his favorite baseball team, this week.
Steven Alker wore a Houston Astros logo in honor of Sam Workman, his caddie during the final round at The Woodlands Golf Club’s 2023 Insperity Invitational in The Woodlands. (Photo: Tim Heitman/Getty Images).
Alker’s first win in 2023 was a four-shot triumph, thanks to the Workman gallery.
Alker began the day with a 9-under score and a three-point lead. He had nine pars and a birdie in his first 10 holes of his final round. The field was never able to catch him. Steve Stricker got to 11 under, but Alker blew up late with birdies at Nos. To get to 15-under, you need to score birdies on 11, 12, 13, 15, and 17. He finished with par on 18, for a round-ending score of 66.
He said, “It is huge.” “You can feel the emotion in 18. “I just saw a sea orange today and it reminded me of Sam.”
Workman’s family members and friends, all of whom wore Houston Astros jerseys, inspired the orange color.
Alker and Workman worked together for the first time in 2019 in the Bahamas on the Korn Ferry Tour. Alker described him as “a motivator , a decision maker , and a fighter .”
Workman witnessed Alker’s incredible late-life golf run to the top of PGA Tour Champions. After winning four times and achieving 18 top tens in 23 starts, he was named the Charles Schwab Cup 2022.
Ben Alker was caddying for his father, Alker, this week. Ben Alker is the son of Alker who won the Insperity back-to-back. The pair saw immediate results with a 66 in the opening round. Alker closed the week with a 66 and a 69 in round two.
Alker continued, “My son was in the bag today.” It doesn’t get better than that.
