Bernhard Langer, the unaffected one – even though his Florida driver’s license says he is 65 – will enter the Chubb Classic Sunday with a chance at history. He hopes to tie Hale Irwin’s record for all-time PGA Tour Champions wins (45) at Tiburon Golf Club’s Black Course.
Langer won at Chubb a decade ago. He is also the oldest winner of PGA Tour Champions history. Langer won last fall’s TimberTech Championship, his 65th birthday. Langer was forced to work hard Saturday’s second round in Naples. The winds were blowing at 15 mph. Langer will lead by one shot into Sunday’s final round.
Langer is at 10-under 134. This is a stroke more than 2022 Charles Schwab cup winner Steven Alker (65), Jerry Kelly (66) and Dicky Pride (70). Two shots behind Langer, at 8-under 136 are Fred Couples (69) despite bogeys on two par 5s Saturday and Steve Stricker 69, who are aiming for a record fourth consecutive PGA Tour Champions win.
Ten players will be playing in the final round. Sunday’s final round could be wild.
Langer stated, “To win with this type of leaderboard, one has to play a near flawless round of golf.” Langer stated, “You have to score a low score, one among the lowest tomorrow, and that’s my goal.”
Langer was unable to make a birdie on Saturday, despite having made an opening 64 and making eight birdies. Langer was at par par after a bogey on the par-4 11 th hole. However, he pulled ahead on the stretch with birdies at two par 5s (12and 15) on the back nine. He missed the closing hole at 533 yards, but he will still sleep with a one shot advantage. Pride and Couples both reached double-digits below par at one point, but they didn’t finish there.
It was difficult. It was difficult because the wind gusted anywhere from 10-25 mph. Langer said that his iron play was less crisp than it had been one day before.
“Whenever the wind blows that strong, and you have a bit of sidespin, or something, or straight into the wind,” I came up short a few times, but not long. It punishes you quickly because the targets are so small.
Langer has won four times the Chubb on multiple courses. A fifth win at the Chubb would make it the second-most wins by Champions players at one event. Langer’s record will be broken on Sunday by Irwin who won the Turtle Bay Championship in Hawaii six more times.
Alker, 51 was the best performer in the PGA Tour Champions 2022. He won four times. After the death of his friend and caddie Sam Workman on February 6, 2018, Alker used Friday’s first round as a way to process his emotions and thoughts. They had been playing together for four years and had won five tournaments together and a Charles Schwab Cup in the last 16 months.
Alker started Saturday with a grueling start and didn’t stop until the end. Alker made threes on five of his first holes. He made four birdies on his first five holes. Then he added another at the par-5 sixth. It was a great day. Saturday’s lowest score was his 7-under 65.
Alker’s only bogey (against eight birdsies) was on the par-4 7th hole, where he three-putted.
Alker was quite emotional during his first round. He wore Workman’s 2022 Houston Astros World Series Champions caps on his head, and shot 69. He and Troy Martin, his substitute caddie and winner caddie in Stephen Ames’s Morocco trip, worked their yards, selected the right clubs, and put together a strong effort.
Alker stated, “You miss the little things Sam said, and did.” It was nice to get through Friday. It was difficult to get my thoughts straight and hit the shots.
Alker, Kelly, and Langer will be playing in the final trio on Sunday.
Langer was a young man who worked in a caddie yard in Germany as a kid. Germany is not known for its golf. Langer was self-taught and had a successful career which produced two Masters titles and a place in the World Golf Hall of Fame. He would be able to tie the all-time Champions Tour win record Sunday and then go after his own all time mark.
Langer stated that Irwin’s record was an accomplishment and special because it is something you can do. “I was stunned to see Hale Irwin win 45 times when I arrived here. “I don’t think that this will ever be broken.”
Langer is now one round away from joining him.
