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ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiger Woods was an 18-year-old senior in highschool when he made his first lower in an expert occasion at a European Tour occasion in Thailand. That additionally was the primary time he performed with Bernhard Langer.
Thirty years later, the ageless Langer remains to be going robust.
Langer capped off his memorable, record-setting 12 months when he teamed together with his son Jason to provide a 13-under 59 in 30 mph wind for a 2-shot victory over David Duval and his son.
Langer tied the PNC Championship document together with his fifth title — three with Jason, two with older son Stefan — held by Raymond Floyd.
Woods and 14-year-old son Charlie shot 61 within the scramble format to tie for fifth, a day that included one shot so audacious that Woods may solely giggle. He missed the inexperienced on the ninth gap on the Ritz-Carlton Golf Membership nicely to the left, and the son of the 15-time main champion chipped it in for birdie.
It wasn’t simply the chip-in — it was the stare, the sideways stroll, the raised finger level and the fist pump. Woods watched all this and could not smile any wider, particularly when he seemed over at Steve Stricker.
“To see his response … it occurred proper in entrance of me,” Woods stated. “He obtained excited and I seemed over at Stricks and he was shaking his head. It was nice.”
The PNC Championship, which places main champions with relations, is geared round moments like that. Brady Duval, who performs at Coastal Carolina, hit a 6-iron to 2 toes on the ultimate gap for eagle to lock up second place, and his father, a former world No. 1, could not have been extra proud.
However the day — actually, the 12 months — belonged to Langer, a 66-year-old German and two-time Masters champion who by no means appears to cease. The signature second for Langer this 12 months was profitable twice on the PGA Tour Champions to carry his victory complete to 46, breaking the senior document of Hale Irwin as soon as considered out of attain.
The forty sixth win was a minimum of the U.S. Senior Open.
Langer and his son, who works in funding banking in New York, began 3 photographs behind Matt Kuchar and son and performed so nicely that they had the lead after 4 holes and by no means slowed. They did not make par till the par-3 eighth and had 10 birdies by way of 11 holes.
Jason’s work would not enable him to play as a lot, however he got here to Florida early for a bit observe, and no matter time he spent on the greens paid off. He hardly missed.
“Watching him putt, it was unbelievable,” Langer stated. “The ball began on line each time. If it missed, that is as a result of I misinterpret the inexperienced. In any other case he most likely would have made all of them.”
The distinction between Langer and Floyd and their PNC titles is longevity. All the things appears to be that means with Langer. He gained his first PNC Championship in 2005, and 18 years later he once more was carrying the Willie Park Trophy, a purple leather-based champion’s belt.
Floyd gained 5 of the primary seven PNC Championships.
Woods is aware of all about Langer’s longevity. He remembers the Johnnie Walker Basic in Thailand, taking part in in his mom’s homeland, and being grouped with Langer, the reigning Masters champion.
“First time I’ve ever seen anybody work in meters. That was completely different for me,” Woods stated.
“To see what he is completed since then, and what he does each 12 months and what he is battled with on the greens, the completely different types he retains preventing by way of, it simply goes to indicate the character, the dedication that he has and the kind of individual he’s to have the ability to stick by way of every little thing,” he stated.
Langer remembers Woods as a rail-thin teenager with extraordinary pace, energy and “a starvation for the sport. And also you simply knew he was going to [win] greater than most, and he sure has.”
Woods completed his 12 months with two tournaments — 72 holes within the Bahamas, 36 holes within the PNC Championship, strolling all however one spherical in Orlando — with no ache in his ankle, simply different components of his injury-wracked physique.
However there was hope for 2024, and he stays set on attempting to play as soon as a month.
“I am going to have the ability to stroll and play,” he stated. “We have been figuring out exhausting, been capable of get better. We have been coaching on daily basis, which is nice. It has been good to knock off plenty of rust and a number of the doubt that I’ve had as a result of fairly frankly, I have never hit a shot that counted in a very long time.
“Having to publish a rating and hit photographs on the appropriate quantity, and hit photographs with consequence, it has been good.”
Langer was strolling up the 18th fairway when his son-in-law, who was caddying, requested the situation of the ahead tee used for 84-year-old Lee Trevino and Will McGee, the 12-year-old son of Annika Sorenstam.
His son-in-law raised the notion that Langer is perhaps up on these ahead tees one 12 months “with one of many grandkids, chasing it.” This made Langer smile.
“We’ll see,” he stated.
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