A 2-under par round of 69 wasn’t enough for Steven Alker to keep pace at the Web.com Tour’s Lincoln Land Championship in Illinois, the Kiwi veteran falling seven spots in the final round to take a share of eighth place.

Co-leader through 54 holes, Alker made the turn of the fourth round at 1-over before getting back to level par with a birdie at the par-4 10th.

He made a late charge with three birdies in his final five holes countered somewhat by a bogey at the par-4 15th, finishing three shots back of eventual champion Xinjun Zhang who defeated Dylan Wu at the third hole in a sudden death playoff.

Highlighted by a 6-under par round of 65 in the third round that vaulted him into tournament contention, Alker’s third top-10 finish of the season moved him up 17 spots on the moneylist to 37th and within reach of the top-25.

Comfortably ensconced in the top-25 is Australian Rhein Gibson, who backed up his win at the BMW Charity Pro-Am with a tie for 42nd to remain in seventh position on the Order of Merit.

On the European Tour’s Challenge Tour Jordan Zunic was the only Australian in the field at the Hauts de France – Pas de Calais Golf Open but failed to qualify for the weekend with rounds of 74-79.

Web.com Tour
Lincoln Land Championship
Panther Creek Country Club, Springfield, Illinois
T8           Steven Alker        70-68-65-69—272            $US15,950
T42        Rhein Gibson      72-69-69-68—278            $1,984
MC         Jamie Arnold       78-69—147
MC         Nick Voke            75-73—148
MC         Brett Coletta      77-73—150

Challenge Tour
Hauts de France – Pas de Calais Golf Open
Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club, Lumbres, France
MC         Jordan Zunic       74-79—153