LANGER MASTERCLASS GIVES HOPE TO GOLF VETS EVERYWHERE
THE lifetime exemption for Masters champions continues to divide opinion, with some winners abusing the privilege and staying on long past their sell-by dates. Against that, it’s easy to understand the obvious pleasure that players such as Bernhard Langer and Sandy Lyle bring to the considerable number of patrons who are about the same age by holding back the years. Langer, in particular, might be the most remarkable performer in the entire sport. In 228 events on the Champions Tour for the over-50s set he’s missed just three halfway cuts so perhaps it is not surprising he’s more than holding his own here. After shooting 71 in the first round at the age of 61, the German birdied the 18th hole yesterday for a 72 to give him an under-par halfway total of 143. Alongside him, the highly-rated Englishman Matt Wallace — 33 years younger than Langer — took nine shots more. What an education this must have been for the Londoner. One of the highlights of the tournament to date must be the manner in which Langer broke par in the opening round. His hopes appeared to be literally going down the toilet when his wild drive at the 18th finished in a temporary WC. His second shot, following a free drop, clipped a tree. From 200 yards he found the back of the green and then prompted one of the loudest roars of the day when he holed from 20ft for the best par of the tournament to date. Typical Langer. The two-time former champion, who won his titles way back in 1985 and 1993, came out the next day and holed another 20-footer to birdie the first. He was now two under and placed inside the top 15. It was getting ridiculous, before he finally started acting something like his age by dropping three shots in a six-hole spell from the fifth. Would he fade away? That’s hardly Langer is it? Never mind that this hilly course takes it out of everyone by the end. Langer birdied three of the last five holes for his eye-opening halfway total. Lyle, meanwhile, finished on a four-over-par 36-hole score after a 74, leaving him on the projected halfway cut line. What a shot in the arm the pair have given to golfers of a certain age everywhere.