Bernhard Langer breaks his age again and shares the lead at the Senior PGA Championship
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Bernhard Langer had a double bogey and still broke his age by two shots as the 68-year-old German posted a 6-under 66 on Thursday, giving him a share of the lead after the opening round of the Senior PGA Championship. Langer, who already holds the record with 12 senior majors, played his final six holes in 5-under par, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 17th hole at Concession Golf Club.
He was tied with Miguel Angel Jimenez, Brian Gay and Steve Allan of Australia. Langer now has shot his age or better 43 times. “It's fun to shoot my age,” he said.
“So whenever I shoot my age or better, usually I’ve played some good golf. That’s one of the goals these days, especially when you play a difficult golf course, and these greens here are very difficult. ” This is the first year of a three-year contract for Concession to host the Senior PGA Championship, the oldest of the senior majors.
It's also the only senior major Langer has won only one time, in 2017 at Trump National in Virginia. The 62-year-old Jimenez had an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole and went out in 31 before cooling on the back nine. Allan played bogey-free, picking up birdies on all but one of the par 5s.
Gay birdied three of his final four holes. They were one shot ahead of Ben Crane, Retief Goosen and Thammanoon Sriroj, the 56-year-old Thai who had five wins on the Asian Tour. Crane is making his senior major debut having turned 50 last month.