Steven Alker in a share of second after making hot start at New Zealand Open

Steven Alker’s game matched the hype in his anticipated return to the New Zealand Open.

The 51-year-old Kiwi carded a six-under 65 at Arrowtown’s Millbrook Resort to grab a share of second after Thursday’s opening round.

In his first tournament on home soil since the 2019 NZ Open, the ultra-smooth Alker fired seven birdies on his way around the Remarkables course and is one of six players four shots behind Australian leader Chris Wood, whose 10-under 61 set a course record (Remarkables).

Alker’s bag of birdies included a tap in to finish (he started on the back nine), after he almost holed his approach from 100m on the 382m par-four ninth.

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“The one on 18 is going to make lunch taste a bit better…I hit a lot of nice iron shots today, gave myself some good chances, and I putted well, too,” Alker said immediately after his round.

He’s joined by fellow Kiwi Kit Bittle at six-under, but only after Bittle missed from within a couple of feet on 18 to botch a golden birdie opportunity. Three Kiwi amateurs – Sam Jones, Jayden Ford and Kazuma Kabori – are a shot back and in a share of eighth.

Grouped with fellow Kiwi Daniel Hillier, who shot an opening-round 67, Alker’s swing was silky-smooth and his iron play immaculate.

As those who watched him boss the PGA Tour Champions last year will have noted, the slightly built pro doesn’t bully the ball with a violent swing or rapid club speed – rather sweet and clean ball striking via a swing as easy on the eye as it gets.

“He was rock solid, he’s shown that he can really compete at the highest level. He definitely showed that today,” Hillier said of his playing partner.

Alker, who opened with consecutive birdies in front of a healthy sized gallery, only had one hiccup on the day – a bogey on the 348m par-four 15th after he hit the green in regulation but three-putted.

As pleased as Alker was with his opening round, he couldn’t help but feel he didn’t quite cash in on an almost perfectly still morning on the Remarkables course.

”I kind of felt that I just left a little bit out there because there wasn’t much wind today. I didn’t get the par fives on my back nine…so that was a little bit disappointing.”

Alker and Hillier, who has Steve Williams, Tiger Woods’ former caddie carrying his bags, went toe-to-toe for much of the day and will play the Coronet course on Friday.

Hillier rued a couple of three-putts, including one on the 324m par-four 16th. He drove the green and very nearly drained his eagle putt, only to miss what looked an automatic birdie.

“It was a lot of fun playing with Steven and having a bit of a crowd around us. Probably the best I’ve hit it in a long time really, gave myself a lot of chances. But felt I probably hit it too good to shoot four-under, but that’s golf and hopefully I can come out tomorrow and hole a few more putts.”

Just when it looked like nobody from the afternoon groups was going to shake up the leaderboard, Wood came from the final pairing to light it up.

Having missed the cut when he last played the tournament in 2019, Wood signed his card with eight birdies and an eagle – he chipped in on 10 – after a brilliant blemish-free round, one he capped by nailing a 35-foot birdie putt.

“It will probably get longer as the night goes on…a bit of a curler, right to left. I was just trying not to three-putt, to be honest,” Wood said.

“My second-lowest round ever, but definitely my lowest in a tournament. So, this is very special.”

AT A GLANCE

61: Chris Wood (Aus)

65: Steven Alker (NZ), Kit Bittle (NZ), Tom Power Horan (Aus), Yosuke Asaji (Jpn), Gunn Charoenkul (Thai), Tomoyo Ikemura (Jpn)

66: Sam Jones (NZ), Jayden Ford (NZ), Kazuma Kabori (NZ), Lawry Flynn (Aus), Dimitrios Papadatos (Aus)