Steven Alker takes first-round lead at ISPS HANDA Senior Open

Reigning Charles Schwab Cup winner Steven Alker opened with 7-under 63, which included a back-nine 30, to take the first-round lead at the ISPS HANDA Senior Open, staged at Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire, England.

Steven Alker, 33-30 – 63 (-7)

• The 53-year-old seeks his 10th win on PGA TOUR Champions (88th start)
  • Would move into T35 on the Champions Tour all-time wins list
• Seeks his second win of the 2025 season (13th start)
  • Previous win: Cologuard Classic (March 7-9)
  • Would be his third multi-win season on PGA TOUR Champions
  • Alker’s multi-win seasons: four wins, 2022; two wins, 2023
  • Has finished in the top 10 in 10 of his 12 starts this season
  • Entered the week No. 3 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings
• Looks to become the fourth multiple winner of the 2025 season, joining Miguel Angel Jiménez (four wins), Ángel Cabrera (three wins) and Steve Allan (two wins)
• Seeks his second major title on PGA TOUR Champions
  • Previous win: 2022 Senior PGA Championship
• This is his 14th time leading/co-leading after the first round on PGA TOUR Champions
  • Is 4-for-13 converting those into victories (1-for-2 in 72-hole events)
• Carded his low 18-hole score of the 2025 season (38th round)
  • Previous low: 65 (four times)
• Matched the second-lowest 18-hole score of the 2025 season by any player on PGA TOUR Champions
  • Lowest round of 2025: 62 (Jerry Kelly, Mitsubishi Electric Classic, 1st Round)
  • Today was the 10th round of 63 carded by a player this season on PGA TOUR Champions
• Making his fourth appearance at the ISPS HANDA Senior Open, he has finished T3 (2022), T11 (2023) and T5 (2024)

• Mark Hensby (second) birdied Nos. 1-5 en route to 6-under 64. His front-nine 29 matched the low 9-hole score of the 2025 season on PGA TOUR Champions (previous instance: Jerry Kelly, Mitsubishi Electric Classic, first round, back nine).
  • The 54-year-old seeks his second win on PGA TOUR Champions (70th start).
  • Last win: 2023 Invited Celebrity Classic
• Defending champion K.J. Choi (T3) opened with 4-under 66.
  • Choi looks to become the fourth multi-time winner of the ISPS HANDA Senior Open since 2003, joining Bernhard Langer (four wins), Tom Watson (three wins) and Loren Roberts (two wins).
  • Since 2003, no player has successfully defended his title at the ISPS HANDA Senior Open.
• Joe Durant (T3) carded 4-under 66. The 61-year-old seeks his sixth win on PGA TOUR Champions (256th start).
  • Last win: 2024 Cologuard Classic
• Nine players are T5 at 3-under, including World Golf Hall of Fame members Padraig Harrington, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen along with Charles Schwab Cup leader Miguel Ángel Jiménez.
  • Harrington won the most recent major contested on PGA TOUR Champions (U.S. Senior Open).
  • Jiménez, making his 200th start on PGA TOUR Champions, won the ISPS HANDA Senior Open in 2018.
• Nobuhiro Masuda withdrew during the first round.