Weary Langer leads Senior PGA by 2 shots
Shrugging off fatigue from last week in a victory at the Regions Tradition, Bernhard Langer shot a 7-under 65 Thursday to take a two-shot lead in the first round of the Senior PGA Championship in Sterling, Va.
Langer, 59, of Germany, 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 in Alabama. He also would become the first player to win all five of the current senior majors.
Langer started with five consecutive pars on a cool, misty morning before sparse galleries. The start was delayed 80 minutes because of overnight rain that saturated an 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.
He missed only two fairways and just one green in regulation, leading to his only bogey.
“I hit a lot of good putts,” Langer said.
He finished his round by hitting a 2-hybrid from 216 yards to 3 feet for eagle on the par-5 18th.
Other tournaments
BMW PGA Championship: Reigning British Open champion Henrik Stenson shot a bogey-free, 4-under 68 to sit two strokes off the lead held by Swedish compatriot Johan Carlsson after the first round in Virginia Water, England. All four of Stenson’s birdies came on the back nine as Wentworth rolled out its new greens for the signature event on the European Tour. They appeared to meet with widespread approval, especially from Carlsson, whose hot run came on the front nine where he reached the turn in 30, thanks to five birdies.
Colonial: Kelly Kraft, Derek Fathauer and PGA Tour rookie J.T. Poston each shot 5-under 65 to share the lead after the first round in Fort Worth, Texas. Jon Rahm, Scott Brown and Graeme McDowell followed at 66.
LPGA Volvik Championship: Stacy Lewis shot a 7under 65 to share the firstround lead with Taiwan’s Wei-Ling Hsu in Ann Arbor, Mich. Hsu holed out from 155 yards on 10 for eagle.