Langer looks to catch Nicklaus’ senior record

STERLING, Va. Shrugging off fatigue from last week’s victory, Bernhard Langer shot a 7-under 65 Thursday to take a two-shot lead in the first round of the Senior PGA Championship.

The 59-year-old German could break Jack Nicklaus’ record of eight senior majors with a win at Trump National. He tied Nicklaus last week with a five-shot victory at the Regions Tradition. He would also become the first player to win all five of the current senior majors.

Langer started with five straight pars on a cool, misty morning before sparse galleries. The start was delayed 80 minutes because of overnight rain that saturated President Donald Trump’s already-soft course on the shores of the Potomac River, about 25 miles from Washington.

“I was really tired on Monday and Tuesday, really low on energy,” Langer said. “Today, I felt fine. I got up early at 5 a.m. and went through my stretching routine and stuff and then heard about the delay, so sat around for an hour and a half, got all stiff again, so that part didn’t help.”

Langer’s lead held up as afternoon thunderstorms halted play for the day with half of the 156-man field still on the course.

Langer pumped his fist when he rolled in his first birdie, an 18-footer at the par-4 sixth hole. That started a run of six birdies in eight holes that tied him for the lead at 5 under.