Langer wins SAS Championship by 6 shots

Pepperell claims British Masters, sets up debut at Augusta

CARY, North Carolina, Oct 15, (AP): Bernhard Langer ran away with the SAS Championship to take the points lead into the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup playoffs

Langer shot a bogey-free 7-under 65 for a six-stroke victory in the regular-season finale.

“I just played very solid all day long,” Langer said. “Putted well, hit the ball where I was looking and did everything exceptionally well.”

The 61-year-old German star has 38 victories on the 50-and-over tour, also winning this year near Houston. He has a record four victories after turning 60.

“I don’t have anything to prove, were two other guys who shot 10 under.”

The four-time Charles Schwab Cup winner also won at Prestonwood in 2012.

“It’s always fun to go back to where you’ve won before because you feel like you know how to play the course and you’re somewhat comfortable and that’s certainly the case here,” Langer said. “I’ve been probably 50, 70 times now around this golf course and I know how to play every hole.”

Scott Parel was second, closing with a double bogey for a 65.

“Bernhard is just in his own world this week,” Parel said.

Jerry Kelly had a 68 to finish third at 15 under, and Lehman followed at 13 under after a 71.

Sauers shot a 75 to tie for fifth with Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) at 12 under.

The top 72 players in the Schwab Cup standings qualified for the playoffs, the three-event series that begins next week with the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in Richmond, Virginia. Dan Forsman tied for 56th to jump from 74th to 72nd, edging John Huston for the final spot by $932. Huston tied for 46th.

In Walton Heath, England, Eddie Pepperell won his second European Tour title with a two-shot victory at the British Masters and likely secured the even bigger prize of a place in next year’s Masters at Augusta National.

The Englishman shot an even-par 72 and held off his playing partner,

Langer

Sweden’s Alexander Bjork (71), as the pair went to the 72nd hole at a wet and windy Walton Heath with Pepperell just a stroke in front. Pepperell finished on 9-under 279. Herbert Lucas (69) and Jordan Smith (73) were tied for third, another two shots behind Bjork.

English pair Sam Horsfield (69) and Tom Lewis (70) along with American Julian Suri (74) tied for fifth, one shot in front of tournament host Justin Rose (70).

The victory takes Pepperell into the world’s top 35 and almost certainly secures a first appearance at Augusta in 2019. The top 50 at the end of the year are guaranteed a place in the first major of the year in April.

Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood (72) finished 2 under in a seven-way tie for ninth.

A top-two finish on Sunday would have seen Rose reach the top of the world rankings for the second time this season, the 38-year-old having spent two weeks as No. 1 in September.

Pepperell was ranked outside the top 500 as recently as May last year, but won the Qatar Masters in February and followed a runner-up finish in the Scottish Open with a tie for sixth in the British Open seven days later, carding a closing 67 at Carnoustie despite saying he had a hangover.

His three-shot overnight lead was down to a single stroke on Sunday when Bjork covered the front nine in 34 and Pepperell three-putted the ninth, the same hole where he enjoyed a spectacular hole-in-one on Thursday.

However, the 27-year-old Pepperell promptly holed his second shot to the 10th from 122 yards for an eagle In this Oct 11 file photo, Australian cricketer Tim Paine (center), plays a shot during day five of the first Test cricket

match in the series between Australia and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. (AFP)

to move three clear and a par save from off the green on the 14th looked to have sealed the win.

There was still time for some late drama, though, as Pepperell dropped shots on Nos. 15 and 16 to see his lead cut to a single shot, but Bjork bogeyed the 18th after driving into the heather and Pepperell saved par from a greenside bunker.