New Zealander Steven Alker has received the 2022 Jack Nicklaus Award as the Champions Tour's Player of the Year.
Steven Alker Photo: Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire
Alker, 51, won four times and finished in the top 10 18 times in 23 starts to capture the Charles Schwab Cup.
The Hamilton native also won the Arnold Palmer Award as the Tour's money leader (US$3.54 million) and the Byron Nelson Award for the lowest scoring average (68.27).
The awards were presented at the Tour's annual banquet ahead of the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai in Hawaii.
"I am very honored to be voted by my fellow peers as the 2022 PGA Tour Champions Player of the Year and to be in the company of past award winners," Alker said.
"I have been inspired by being in the presence of so many amazing players and human beings since joining PGA TOUR Champions and for that, I am very grateful. I would also like to say thank you to my family, friends and fans who have helped make this possible."
Alker won the player vote over four other Player of the Year candidates: Padraig Harrington, Jerry Kelly, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Steve Stricker.
Harrington was named the 2022 Rookie of the Year.
It's another honour after a stunning year for New Zealand golfers with Lydia Ko named the LPGA Tour's 2022 Player of the Year, while Ryan Fox was in the hunt for a similar title on the World Tour.
Steven Alker
* Charles Schwab Cup champion, Arnold Palmer Award (Season Money Winner), Player of the Year (Jack Nicklaus Award), Byron Nelson Award (Scoring Average)
* 2022 season summary: four victories, four runner-up finishes, 21 top-10 finishes in 23 starts
* Wins: 2022 Rapiscan Systems Classic, 2022 Insperity Invitational, 2022 Senior PGA Championship, 2022 Dominion Energy Charity Classic
* Scoring average: 68.27 (first)
* 2022 winnings: US$3,544,425 (first)
* Won his first career Charles Schwab Cup
-Reuters
