STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Bernhard Langer received the U.S. Senior Open on Sunday at SentryWorld to interrupt the PGA Tour Champions’ profession victory report.
Pushing his report because the oldest winner on the 50-and-over tour to 65 years, 10 months, 5 days, the German star broke a tie with Hale Irwin for the victory mark with No. 46.
“I’ve my mom that is going to be 100 on August 4th, so I feel I’ve good genes,” Langer mentioned. “Hopefully, I will be round a couple of extra years.”
Seven strokes forward on the again 9, Langer bogeyed the ultimate three holes for 1-under 70 and a two-stroke victory over home-state favourite Steve Stricker on the tree-lined course with thick tough.
“By no means thought it will occur at a U.S. Senior Open, however I am very thrilled that the report of 46 wins occurred this week,” Langer mentioned. “It is actually one of many best tournaments we ever compete in, and to beat this area, the place everyone was right here, particularly Stricker and [Jerry] Kelly on their dwelling grounds, is a really particular feeling.”
Langer completed at 7-under 277, with solely eight gamers breaking par for the week. He shattered the match age report set by Allen Doyle in 2006 at Prairie Dunes at 57 years, 11 months, 14 days.
“There are much more aches and pains than 10 years in the past,” Langer mentioned. “I nonetheless benefit from the recreation. If I play like I did this week, I will preserve enjoying. There have been the odd week once I thought, ‘What had been you doing out right here? Go dwelling and play with the grandkids.'”
The 2-time Masters champion has a report 13 victories since turning 60 and holds the highest 5 spots on the oldest winners checklist. He has a number of victories in 11 straight seasons and 14 total.
Additionally the 2010 U.S. Senior Open winner at Sahalee outdoors Seattle, Langer prolonged his report for senior main victories to 12. He received the Chubb Traditional in Florida in February to tie Irwin.
Stricker — from Madison, 100 miles to the south — birdied three of the final 5 holes for a 69.
“It offers all of us hope, I assume, which can be out right here nonetheless enjoying that we are able to proceed to play pretty much as good as he is performed for such a very long time,” Stricker mentioned about Langer. “It is actually spectacular. I knew he wasn’t going to again off as we speak.”
Stricker received the primary two senior majors of the yr and took his hometown Madison occasion three weeks in the past for his fourth Champions victory of the season.
“It appeared like I had a poor 9 holes in there on daily basis, and that simply ended up costing me the match,” Stricker mentioned.
Kelly, additionally from Madison, was third at 4 underneath after a 71.
“I used to be method too amped up,” Kelly mentioned. “I used to be making an attempt to be settled and calm, however I used to be speaking greater than I’ve all week. I used to be shifting slightly bit quicker than I’ve all week.”
Two photographs forward of Kelly getting into the spherical, Langer birdied the primary two holes for the second straight day.
Langer added a birdie on No. 5, then rounded from a bogey on No. 6 with birdie on No. 7. He opened the again 9 with a birdie on the tenth, parred the following 5 and closed with the three straight bogeys.
“It was not straightforward,” mentioned Langer, who earned a spot subsequent yr within the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. “My age in all probability confirmed up towards the tip.”
Brett Quigley (66) and Rob Labritz (69) tied for fourth at 2 underneath. Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen (71), Steven Alker (65) and Dicky Delight (69) had been 1 underneath.
“The tough was troublesome and, as many fairways as I missed, I feel I did OK,” Goosen mentioned. “I used to be like a cow on the market simply consuming cabbage the entire time.”
Langer, paired with Goosen the primary two rounds, sacrificed distance for accuracy to remain out of the tough.
“I feel that is one of many causes I did so effectively. I did not hit it within the tough fairly often,” Langer mentioned. “Took many 3-woods off the tees at instances, however then I needed to hit 3-wood into the inexperienced or a really lengthy membership. However I would moderately try this than hit driver and wedge it out from the tough.”
