Golf: Steven Alker home for another crack at NZ Open

5:37 pm today

Steven Alker plays a tee shot on the 11th hole during the third round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club.

New Zealand golfer Steven Alker. Photo: photosport

The 104th New Zealand Open will tee off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown on Thursday pitting professional and amateur players against each other to lift the Brodie Breeze trophy.

For Australian Brendan Jones the tournament holds a special place in his heart after he won it in 2023.

"Some of the names on the trophy are pretty incredible and knowing that I've got mine there now I just feel like I'm a foot taller than I actually am. It's my one and only national open that I've ever won so for me it's very very special."

New Zealand's Steven Alker does not know how many more times he will make the trek back home off the PGA Tour Champions to compete.

Alker has yet to win the tournament that he first played in as a schoolboy and leading amateur in 1989.

But he can see why it is worth the travel.

"Not too many tournaments are played as a pro-am format so it's quite unique we've got an open championship for the country open that is played as a pro-am format, where we play it and what we're doing with the format it goes global and I think that is huge for the event."

Jones and Alker will both be on the PGA Tour Champions in 2025 and both admit they are still finding form early in the season.

"(I'm) rusty played first event last week in Sydney and missed the cut by plenty so there's a bit to work on but this time of the year I'm always fresh and it doesn't generally take me a lot to get back to where I want to be," Jones said.

"I've got some pretty exciting times ahead hopefully the enthusiasm that I've got for the game right now is going to be enough."

Alker finished second in the PGA Tour Champions event in Morocco earlier this month and felt in a good place heading into the New Zealand Open.

"I've got some good vibes and a game not quite where I want it, but it's early season," Alker said.

"Early season, you're trying to feel out where you're at and get into some form."

For the first time, the New Zealand Open is part of the Open Qualifying Series and the winner will get a place at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in July.

Arguably the strongest professional field in recent history at the New Zealand Open will also be competing for $2 million.

New Zealanders in the 104th New Zealand Open: