Steven Alker is bidding to follow the lead of Ryan Fox and make it a New Zealand double when he tees it up this week at the ISPS HANDA Senior Open.
Fox became just the third Kiwi men's Major Champion on Sunday, birdieing the last at Royal Birkdale in sensational style to win the Claret Jug and follow in the footsteps of the great Sir Bob Charles.
Michael Campbell's 2005 win at the U.S. Open represents the other Major victory for New Zealand men – Lydia Ko has three Majors in the women's game - with Charles and Alker having both tasted success in the senior ranks.
Alker finished third on his debut when the Senior Open was last held at The Gleneagles Hotel in 2022 and with wind in Kiwi sales, he would love to add to his Senior PGA Championship title which he won the same year.
"It would be fantastic," he said. "My wife is English. I'm kind of going after this one. This is one I'd really like to win.
"It's just a matter of just play my game and try to get in the zone. I like the golf course and it would be very special to win.
"I love this place. Just the countryside and the golf course itself, the shape. It's in great shape. And you know, I was here, four years ago and it was my first Senior Open and I played well.
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"I love the golf course. So it's great to be back. My boy goes to school up in Stirling, just up the road, so it feels like home a little bit."
While Fox is the flagbearer for New Zealanders in the under-50s game, there are also the likes of DP World Tour winner Daniel Hillier and rising star Kazuma Kobori making big strides, with Alker hopeful Fox's win can prompt more talent to emerge.
"In a way, not surprised," he said of Fox's win. "I mean, he's a very big player. He's won some big events. He's been playing well of late.
"But to see him finish that way and finish it off, the three shots down 18 was spectacular. In New Zealand, it was probably five in the morning back home or something. I think everybody was probably rooting for him.
"Just to see that, we've only had like three Major Champions, so to have another one is very special. I'm so proud of him. The way he finished was fantastic."
He added: "Obviously it's far New Zealand, so you have to travel and you're either playing US Tour or DP World Tour. We need a little more support to those guys out playing and competing more.
"I think the players are there. With what Ryan's done, I think the profile is just going to lift it, and we are going to get more guys coming through, and girls, too."
