Daniel Hillier and Josh Geary are among five New Zealanders inside the top 12 at the halfway mark of the tournament.
If it’s world-class golf you’re after, two of the best new courses in the world lie in the north of New Zealand’s North Island. They lead the pack when it comes to our ranking of the best layouts ‘across the ditch’.
Alker’s outright third-place showing was good enough to stay atop the final standings in the year-long Charles Schwab Cup points race and cap a storybook season.
He also becomes the first player to win the New Zealand Open twice since Greg Turner in 1997, and the first Australian to win twice since Bob Shearer in 1981.