Steven Alker leads by three at Insperity Invitational

Things to Know

In his bid to join Bernhard Langer by winning each of his first two Insperity Invitational starts, Steven Alker takes a 3-stroke lead, tying the largest 36-hole margin on PGA TOUR Champions this season

Looking win No. 2 in a 3-start stretch (Hoag Classic), World Golf Hall of Fame Member Ernie Els makes two eagles in a 3-hole stretch to post a 2-under 70

Also seeking a second win in his most recent three starts (The Galleri Classic), David Toms birdies two of his last four holes to finish with a 1-under 71

Coming off a T8 at last week’s Invited Celebrity Classic, Matt Gogel is in position for his first PGA TOUR Champions win in his 26th start

In his bid for a record 46th PGA TOUR Champions title, 4-time Insperity Invitational winner Bernhard Langer sits T37 at 3-over 147

Steven Alker (1st/-9)

The reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion followed an opening-round 6-under 66 with a 3-under 69 in his bid to become the second player to successfully defend an Insperity Invitational title (Bernhard Langer/2007-08)

At 9-under 135 and three strokes clear of the field, Alker ties the margin for largest 36-hole lead on PGA TOUR Champions this season

After 36 holes last year, Alker was T1 with Brandt Jobe at 12-under 132, before a final-round 6-under 66 resulted in a 4-stroke victory

With a win, the Alker would also share with Langer the distinction of winning the event in his first two starts

In 54 holes events on PGA TOUR Champions, Alker is 2-for-4 when attempting to convert a 36-hole lead/co-lead into victory (won: 2022 Rapsican Systems Classic and 2022 Insperity Invitational)

Among three top-10 finishes in four starts this season were runner-up finishes at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai and The Galleri Classic

With four of his five wins on PGA TOUR Champions coming in 2022, Alker seeks his first win since the 2022 Dominion Energy Charity Classic

Other Notes

World Golf Hall of Fame Member Ernie Els used two eagles in a 3-hole stretch (Nos. 13 and 15, both par-5s) to card a 2-under 70 and move to T2 at 6-under 138; Els is vying for his fourth career win on PGA TOUR Champions and second in three starts this season (Hoag Classic); in two previous Insperity Invitational starts, he finished T20 in 2021 and T25 in 2022

In his fourth start of the season and just days removed from last week’s T8 finish at the Invited Celebrity Classic, Matt Gogel opened with rounds of 67-71 and sits T2 with Els and David Toms at 6-under 138; in his only previous Insperity Invitational start, finished T45 in 2021; remains in search of his first PGA TOUR Champions title in his 26th start

2007, 2008, 2014 and 2018 Insperity Invitational champion Bernhard Langer (T37/+3) posted a 4-over 76 in round two as he works towards a PGA TOUR Champions record 46th title