Langer leading Senior Players
flOURTOWn, Pa. — Bernhard Langer was all alone under par at windy Philadelphia Cricket Club.
The 58-year-old German star was in position to win the Constellation Senior Players Championship for the third straight year, shooting a 1-underpar 69 on Saturday to reach 2-under 208 and take a three-stroke lead over Jay Don Blake into the final round.
“Sometimes par is a wonderful score,” Langer said. “It’s a real major, it’s like playing the U.S. Open or whatever where par is a good score. So don’t blame guys when they play for the middle of the green here and there because there’s some long holes out there, some tough holes where most of the guys would be extremely happy to be in the middle of the green. That’s what you have to do at times.”
After playing the first 11 holes in 2 over with two birdies and four bogeys, Langer birdied the par-4 12th to get back to par for the tournament. He added birdies on the par-5 15th and par-3 16th and closed with two pars on the A.W. Tillinghast-designed Wissahickon Course.
Blake made a 16-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18thfora71.
“Trying to just manage it around, trying to get the driver in play and then kind of go from there,” Blake said.
Jeff Sluman (70), Woody Austin (71), Wes Short Jr. (72), Bart Bryant (72) and Brandt Jobe (74) were tied for third at 2 over.
Vijay Singh was tied for 31st at 8 over. He followed rounds of 69 and 74 with a75.
First-year Champions player John Daly had a 70 to move into a tie for 59th at 12 over. He opened with two 76s. KPMG WoMen’s PGA ChAMPionshiP
Topranked Lydia Ko bogeyed the 18th hole to drop her lead to one stroke heading into the final round.
Seeking her third straight major title, Ko shot a 1-under 70 to reach 2 under. She won the Evian Championship in September in France for her first major title and took the ANA Inspiration in April in California.
Brittany Lincicome and Gerina Piller were tied for second. They each shot 71, with Lincicome also bogeying the 18th.
Second round co-leaders Brooke Henderson and Mirim Lee each shot 73 to drop into the group at par. Only three players were under par, but 13 were within three shots of the lead.