PHOENIX — Bernhard Langer, where do I even start?
His age? In August, he turned 65 and became the oldest player who won at the TimberTech Championship.
Is Langer shooting his age? Langer has shot his age at least six times. Langer shot a 63 in his second round last week to beat his age by 2 shots. Langer shot 64 in 2021 on his 64th Birthday. He later said that he was sung “Happy Birthday” three times by Michigan fans.
Are you looking for Champions Tour titles? Langer is back at Phoenix Country Club one year after he won his sixth series title. This is four more than Jay Haas Jay Watson Jay Haas Lauren Roberts and Tom Lehman who are all tied for second. He is currently fifth in points, but mathematically eliminated from winning the seventh title.
Are you a Career Champion winner? Langer won the title last Sunday in a runaway fashion. He posted a six-shot win to be within Irwin’s all time Champions mark of 45.
“It’s amazing. Steven Alker, who is leading the series points race, said, “It’s amazing. Like last week, I mean beat his age again.” It’s amazing to see how he keeps going like an energizer. There are many lessons to be learned from this. He just persevered and just kept going. It was amazing, it was.
Langer won his first Champions event 15 years ago, a little over ten months after Irwin.
Is it 15 years since you were on this tour? Langer stated, “In a certain way it does. In another way it feels as if time flew by. So it’s strange.”
Langer has won every tour year, with only two seasons in which he was not victorious. He won seven times in 2017.
Talk about consistency.
Jerry Kelly said, “That’s Bernhard Langer to the T.” He’s always going to be there. He has had some injuries over the years but he still won last year’s Cup. It’s amazing.
Langer won only three times on the PGA Tour, but he was awarded a green jacket for two of his victories, in 1985 and 1993. He is one of only eight golfers to have won more Masters titles than Langer. Langer, who was 63 years old when the Masters was held in November 2020, became the oldest player to make it to Augusta at the tender age of 63.
There’s also the money. Langer has earned $65 million on-course, with $33million coming from the senior circuit. At the Schwab Cup finale, first place is worth $440,000. This amount would put Langer over the $34million mark.
Let’s forget about the trophies and the money. Is he still playing week after week of golf?
He said, “It’s love and competing with the best players my generation.” Teeing it up is a never-ending activity. “Very seldom. It doesn’t.
Kelly and Langer are in the second to last group on Thursday. They will tee off at 2.50 p.m. ET. Alker and Padraig harrington are the last two groups. The points are ranked 1-2. They will tee off at 3. ET.
Harrington must win the tournament to be crowned champion. Alker must finish in the bottom five.
