AR
New Zealand’s Steven Alker, a long-time journeyman golfer, enjoyed a remarkable career renaissance on the PGA Tour Champions in 2022. The 52-year-old’s dream season included four wins and 18 top-10 finishes in 23 starts, which ultimately earned him the year-end Charles Schwab Cup.
RELATED: Steve Alker’s caddie diagnosed with terminal cancer
On the course, Alker shared that experience with his caddie Sam Workman. The pair had grown close since they started working together in 2019, which made Alker’s Instagram announcement on Tuesday about his 55-year-old friend particularly sad and painful.
“Words cannot describe the sudden passing of Sam Workman from his fight with cancer on February 6, 2023. You will be missed by so many. It has been a privilege walking the fairways with you ‘my man.’
“Our deepest condolences go out to Sam’s family and his closest friends. Thoughts and prayers are with you at this time of sorrow. RIP Sam 1967-2023.”
It was only last week that Alker took to social media to announce that Workman had been diagnosed with terminal cancer
According to The Caddie Network, Workman took up the game at age 6 and played junior college golf before becoming a teaching pro and eventually running a municipal course in Texas. He got into caddieing when Brad Elder asked him to carry his bag in a qualifier in the 1990s and went on to carry for nearly 400 tournaments, mostly on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he connected with Alker.
View this post on Instagram
Workman accompanied Alker to the senior tour, where in 2021, Alker Monday qualified for his first start and finished in the top 10. That got him in the next event, and he repeated that remarkable accomplishment five more times before grabbing a late season win and a full card. That was the first time Workman had been on the bag for a victory.
According to PGATour.com, the Korn Ferry Tour will hold a tribute for Workman on Wednesday morning prior to this week’s Astara Golf Championship in Bogota, Colombia. Players, caddies and staff will gather for a moment of remembrance.
Players on PGA Tour Champions also will wear ribbons in Thursday’s opening round at the Morocco Champions in Workman’s memory.
