- Australian Steven Alderson has won a golf tournament in Spain
- Passed the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande event by nine shots
Life hasn’t been easy for Australian golfer Steven Alderson, but he silenced his bullies after winning the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande event in Spain by nine shots on Tuesday.
This made 44-year-old Alderson the first autistic winner in the history of the G4D (Golf for the Disabled) tour.
Alderson had a message on Channel Nine’s Today program on Wednesday for those who previously made his life a living hell: Now look at me.
“Just growing up as a kid, I was constantly bullied at school… and even bullied at other golf clubs [win] just means the world,” he said.
‘I enjoy showing it to those people. They probably see me on TV now and think, well, I just stuck one for them.’
After his epic victory in Spain, Alderson declared that he was ‘on top of the world’ and that it was a ‘great opportunity’ to represent his country abroad.
Alderson’s emphatic victory was no fluke: he also won the South Australian Mid Amateur Men’s Championship in 2020 and won the Players Series tournament in his home state last year.
His passport will be stamped again when he tees off in the G4D Tour Series Final @ DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next month, following his performance in Spain.
Life hasn’t been easy for Australian golfer Steven Alderson – but he silenced his bullies by winning the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande event in Spain by nine shots on Tuesday
In doing so, Alderson, 44, became the first autistic winner in the history of the G4D (Golf for the Disabled) Tour
Trent Blucher is Alderson’s long-time caddie – and he was full of praise for the man affectionately known as ‘Spud’.
“I met him probably 20 years ago and he told me he only lives on the golf course,” he said.
“The G4D tour was coming up and Spud called me about six weeks ago.
‘He said, “I have the chance to come to Spain, can you come?”, and I was free, so it was, yeah, let’s do it.
‘[In Spain] he stayed present, he stayed calm, and in the past he would have gotten angry or depressed, but he didn’t [today].
“I’m really proud of him.”
After Dubai, Alderson – who plays with a handicap of 1.4 – will compete in the all-abilities field at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
He and Blucher later confirmed they will also contact Australian golf legend Greg Norman, with a view to being invited to play in the LIV Adelaide pro-am event in 2025.