Steven Alker announces caddie Sam Workman diagnosed with terminal cancer

Steven Alker announced Thursday that his caddie, Sam Workman has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

“Sam Workman has been much more than just a professional golf caddie to me the last four years,” Alker, the PGA Tour Champions’ reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion, wrote on Instagram. “He has been a friend, a motivator, a decision maker and a fighter. We’ve had some tough times and, as of late, some really good times. He’s been like an older brother to me since we first got connected in 2019.

“It is with a heavy heart that I share the devastating news that he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Our hearts are broken for Sam and his family as they process this information, but in this uncertain time, we want them to know that they are not alone.”

Workman, 55, picked up golf when he was 6 years old, he told The Caddie Network in 2022. He played junior college golf and dabbled in sectional tournaments afterward. He has also worked as a teaching pro and ran a municipal course in his native Texas. 

One day, Brad Elder asked Workman to loop for him in a qualifier and has since caddied in nearly 400 tournaments, and for the last 15 years on the Korn Ferry Tour. 

Workman had never been on the bag for a win — until Alker 

Alker and Workman met through a mutual friend, Australian caddie Tony Lingard. Ahead of the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour season, the two made their debut together at the season-opening Bahamas Great Exuma Classic in 2019. Alker placed T-4 — his best finish in a Tour-sanctioned event since 2014. 

In August 2021, shortly after turning 50 years old, Alker Monday qualified for the senior tour’s Boeing Classic and finished T-7. With the top 10, the New Zealander got into the following event and then recorded six straight top-10s before notching his maiden victory at the TimberTech Championship.

Workman was overcome with emotion afterward as he thought of his late father, who passed away four years prior. 

“When I told my dad I was going out on the road full time to caddie he gave me 100% acceptance,” Workman told PGATour.com that week. “Unfortunately he passed away about four years ago so he didn’t get to see this. But before he did, I told him I’d eventually get a flag at some point, and we got it done last week.”

In 2022, Alker and Workman would notch four more PGA Tour Champions victories en route to capturing the season-long Schwab Cup title.