Steven Alker wins the Charles Schwab Cup in 2024 for the second time

PHOENIX – Steven Alker joined a select group Sunday.

Alker shot 5-under 66 in the final round to finish in a tie for second place at the 2024 Charles Schwab Cup Championship, and that was enough to win the 2024 Charles Schwab Cup, the PGA Tour Champions' season-long points race.

A day after shooting a 63 to match his worst round of the week, Alker made six birdies under warm, sunny skies on the nicest day of the week at Phoenix Country Club. He battled for second place with Richard Green for most of the day, with Green also having a shot at the season title. But a series of unfortunate events for Bernhard Langer on the back nine put both men in contention for the tournament title and the points title.

Langer had a five-shot lead on the front nine, but two consecutive bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11 and another on No. 17 after his second shot hit a tree put him back in the field.

Within minutes, Green birdied the 18th hole, Alker birdied the 17th and Langer birdied the 17th hole. Suddenly there was a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard.

Alker said he's not normally a scoreboard watcher, but asked late Sunday where he stood.

“The first time I asked my caddy what Ernie Els was doing on the golf course today was when he walked off the 17th tee,” he said. Alker started the week chasing Els in the points race. “I knew Richard was there too, we had to fend him off somehow. But with the birdie on the 17th, I’m tired and trying to win a golf tournament, defend a golf tournament.”

He added that he knew exactly where things stood on the 18th tee.

“One of the Golf Channel guys caught me and said, 'Yeah, you're tied, Richard made a putt last.' It was exciting,” he said.

On the final hole, Alker drilled his second shot, which rolled across the green before coming to rest on the far edge.

After Langer made a dramatic birdie putt to get to 18 under, Alker faced a birdie of his own from about 10 feet to tie the score and force a playoff, but he came up short.

In the end, Langer won the tournament and Alker the season title.

“It means a lot. It's a season-long race, so you should try to get a few wins there too. I’m proud that I’ve maintained this consistency over the last few years,” said Alker, who won the season opener for his only win in 2024. “Just competing with Bernhard and everyone out here on the Champions Tour, that’s just how it is,” has made me a better player. I’m very grateful for that.”

Alker joined a group of six golfers with more than one Cup title: Bernhard Langer, who won the 2024 Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Sunday for his 47th tournament title at the circuit, is tied for the lead with six. Hale Irwin, Tom Lehman, Jay Haas, Tom Watson and Loren Roberts each have two. And now Alker, who has won it twice in three seasons.

Alker raised $276,000 this week.

In addition to the tournament prize money, there is even more cash at stake in the season-long Schwab race. The top five in the final points standings will share $2.1 million, which will be paid out in lump sums into a Schwab brokerage account.

The breakdown:

• 1st place: $1 million, Steven Alker
• 2nd place: $500.00, Ernie Els
• 3rd place: $300,000, Richard Green
• 4th place: $200,000, Padraig Harrington
• 5th place: $100,000, Stephen Ames

This money is considered bonus money and does not count toward a player's official career earnings.

How it works

Unlike the PGA Tour postseason – where the winner of the Tour Championship is declared the FedEx Cup champion – it is possible for someone to win the final tournament while someone else takes the Schwab season title.

The winner of the tournament wins the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. The winner of the season's race is the Charles Schwab Cup champion.