On Sunday at the Boeing Classic, Steven Alker stood in front of the media and revealed why the week had weighed on him beyond the leaderboard: his wife Tanya had just lost her mother. It’s the kind of admission that cuts through 23 years of marriage spent mostly on the road, through good times and bad. She has watched the 11-time PGA Tour Champions winner do it all: grind through lean Korn Ferry Tour years, celebrate his first win in 2022, and stand by his side through every trophy since. Now it’s time for him to be there for her.

“Oh yeah, I mean, yeah, stuff off the golf course that, you know, whenever you’re dealing with death in the family, you know, it is tough. You know, my wife lost her parents in the last couple of years, and we just lost her mother, you know, a couple of weeks ago. So, there’s a lot going on. So a lot of travel—that’s been one thing that’s been tough. And, you know, just trying to support my wife. You know, that’s—she’s been supporting me for 20 years, and, hey, it’s now time to support her.” Alker said, speaking to the media (source: PGA Tour Champions X post).

The 55-year-old New Zealander at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge, eyeing his 12th PGA Tour Champions title. But that’s not the only thing on his mind. He’s also concerned about his wife, who is grieving her mother’s loss. The Alker family has spent the past few weeks shuttling between the United States and the United Kingdom to be with her side of the family. Despite such a difficult time, Tanya has not missed supporting Steven. He acknowledges and expresses wanting to do the same for her.

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His appreciation for his wife is certainly not without precedent. She has been the constant through every version of Alker’s career, including the seasons that produced almost nothing. In 2011, he made just 3 out of 13 cuts and earned $16,904 on the Korn Ferry Tour. A year later, he missed the cut in six of his last eight tournaments of the season. Tanya’s patience and support were rewarded in 2022, when Steven finally broke through on the Champions Tour, winning the Charles Schwab Cup. The moment was an emotional one as Tanya fought back tears, remembering how far they had come.

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“It means we have finally security, something we’ve never had,” she had said. Alker has returned to the sentiment, crediting her patience through years when golf offered no guarantees.

Alker has grieved through competition before. In 2023, he flew in from Texas to the Chubb Classic days after attending funeral services for his longtime caddie, Sam Workman, who died of liver cancer at 55. He pushed his start time back that week to make the service, then returned to the course saying he was playing for Workman and his family.

The veteran pro is making a loud start heading into Sunday. He carries a one-stroke lead into the final round at Snoqualmie Ridge, sitting at 9-under 135. That’s backed up with an opening score of 7-under 67 and a 4-under 68 in the second round. Throughout the tournament, he has carded 13 birdies against just four bogeys, finding greens at an 83% clip, the second-best mark in the field. If he closes it out on Sunday, it will be his second win of the 2026 season.

The Alkers family on the bag

The Boeing Classic this week has doubled as a family reunion for the Alkers amid their tough time. This week, his daughter Skye is also caddying for her father for the first time, with son Ben also along for the trip.

Speaking to the PGA Tour, Alker shared how the experience has been so far. “We kept it light out there, which is great. She’s never done it before, and she said all the right things and stood in the right places, which is great. So I’ll give her an 8 out of 10. I can’t give her a 9 or 10. There’s, you know, I’ve got room for improvement there, right? But no, she did great. As I said, we just kept it light. It was fun.”

Rightfully so, with Skye on the bag, Alker has caught fire through both rounds. On the front nine, he finished 3-under 33, picking up birdies on the first, third, seventh, and eighth holes.

On the back nine, Alker caught fire once again, making birdies at the 10th, 12th, and 16th. Two bogeys on the second and 11th offset his momentum, making him settle in the opening round at 7-under 67. His Saturday was even steadier. He made six birdies throughout his round, with bogeys on 9 and 17, finishing at four under 68. The results have put Alker in the lead through 36 holes.

Sunday will decide whether this week becomes more than a family reunion. A 12th Champions Tour title would push Alker further up the season points race, very different stakes than the Korn Ferry years when a top-10 finish was the goal, not the floor. For Tanya, the scorecard likely matters less than having Skye and Ben close by all week. Still, a win would give Alker a tangible way to return the support he says he has owed her for 20 years.