Bogies override Langer’s 18 birdies this weekend

THE WOODLANDS — Bernhard Langer was a birdie machine over the weekend. Unfortunately for the four-time Insperity Invitational champion, his 18 birdies came with an uncharacteristic three double-bogeys, as well as four bogeys.

Langer carded six birdies in each of the three rounds.

“I was making enough birdies, had several double bogeys — which is unlike me — and many bogeys,” Langer said. “If I drop two or three instead of nine (shots), I’m right in the thick of things.”

On Sunday, Langer closed with a 5-under-67, following rounds of 70-71, to finish tied for eighth at 8 under.

“I played better, very solid,” said Langer, who said he was rusty after not playing the previous week.

Although there’s a good number of younger golfers joining PGA Tour Champions each year, the 64year-old Langer is hopeful of getting a fifth win at the Insperity at some point.

“It’s getting harder every year,” Langer said. “There’s a lot of young guys coming out, and they’re good players. We’ll keep trying. I love it in Houston and feel very much at home.”

Cejka vaults to fourth with 66

Alex Cejka turned in a bogey-free 6-under 66 to share low round of Sunday. It wasn’t good enough to win, but it secured a valued fourthplace finish.

Cejka never found trouble off the tee and consistently hit his approaches close to the pin.

“I was always putting for birdie,” said Cejka. “I wished I could have done (birdie) two, three, four more, but it looks like the guys that are 14 or 16 under, it wouldn’t have been enough anyway.

“But at least I made a great move in the right direction. And I’m very pleased with my game going into the majors coming up. We all focus on basically … everybody says the majors, but it’s every tournament. You want to win every tournament.”

Odd and ends

Insperity announced an extension to continue its tournament at The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course for four years through 2026. It’s also raising the purse to $2.7 million in 2023. The purse is the largest on PGA Tour Champions outside of a major. … Play was suspended for two hours, 15 minutes f0r rain and lightning. The horn was blown at 2:35 p.m. Play resumed at 4:50.