CHUBB CLASSIC PRESENTED BY SERVPRO

February 14, 2024

Steven Alker

Tiburón Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Steven, thank you for joining us here at the Chubb Classic. Just to start, how does it feel to be back here in Naples this week?

STEVEN ALKER: Yeah, it's great. I've played the last couple years, played the golf course, and I've played pretty decent here. It kind of feels like the start of the year, stop-start, stop-start, especially from the champions World Cup, we had that break, and now we're back here. It's just nice to see some sun and get back at it.

Q. You mentioned those three weeks off. How did you spend those three weeks?

STEVEN ALKER: Kind of a combination of rest and practice. Didn't overdo it. I've got a big schedule, going to New Zealand in a couple weeks and then come back and do the West Coast Swing. Yeah, just tidying up a few things from Hawai'i. I know I won, but just little things. Yeah, as I said, just some rest.

Q. You've won your last two starts out here dating back to November, Charles Schwab and then Hualalai as you mentioned. Do you feel good overall about everything?

STEVEN ALKER: I do. Obviously the wins build confidence, so I'm just feeling good about my game. I've worked on my game and my swing, and just everything is good, kind of where I want it. As I said, just small things building on it, and this is the strongest field we've had for a while, so just got some work to do and go low.

Q. Does it feel like you have momentum off of two wins, or is it tough with the start and stop?

STEVEN ALKER: Yeah, it's a little bit tough with the start-and-stop schedule at the moment, but I think having that break rather than just mentally being kind of worn down, just playing week and week and week and just trying to play every week. So just coming in here fresh and feeling good. That's probably a good thing.

Q. Was it last year you went to New Zealand?

STEVEN ALKER: I did.

Q. It's been a while, right?

STEVEN ALKER: Yeah, it was actually the Morocco week last year, so I didn't play Morocco. I'm not doing Morocco again this year only because I need to get back to New Zealand and play. I'm looking forward to getting down there, kind of mixing the schedule up a little bit. I'm getting older, so I haven't got many chances down there now, so coming into my last one down in New Zealand.

Q. What was your reception like when you went home last year?

STEVEN ALKER: It was amazing. I was kind of surprised, actually, having won the Schwab Cup and still playing well early season last year. It was phenomenal, it really was, just the support. I had some family down there, as well. It was a big week. It was a tiring week, but it was exciting.

Q. Was it a different feel being home, being recognized on the streets and stopped --

STEVEN ALKER: Well, yeah, I guess I'm world famous in New Zealand. It was just nice. Where we play -- I'm always kind of in and out, so I didn't spend a lot of time there. But I think just being part of the event down there, going to support it, that was the biggest thing. I think they appreciated that. I didn't play quite how I wanted to, but it was a fun week.

Q. It's been well-documented your career has really been about persistence, not a lot of success early on, sticking with it. Giving a lot of inspiration to people in the game, how does that feel?

STEVEN ALKER: Good. I hope so at least. My results have kind of done that. I don't think I've done that myself, but it just goes to show if you just kind of keep dreaming and just keep chasing it, then yeah, good things can happen. I've been around the game a long time and gained a lot of experience.

If I can pass some of those experiences on to help people speed up the process, all the better.

Q. Bernhard would have been here chasing his third in a row. I saw he was on the back of the green to greet you in Hawai'i, which is really neat. As you look at him and what he's doing at his age, what kind of impresses you most?

STEVEN ALKER: I think what I've learned from Bernhard I think coming out here and seeing him play is just not having -- not getting comfortable maybe is the right phrase. He just keeps playing. He's got his game up, and he's always aware. He's aware of how good you need to play to win. He's striving to get the most out of his game. I think that's the biggest thing. He's always just striving to get his game in shape every week to try and have a chance to win. He just does that very well.

It's just everything. He's got everything, and mentally he's very strong, so that's a good thing to learn from, too. He's just mentally strong.