Langer Up by Two in Senior Players Championship


Though defending champion Bernhard Langer hasn't had what he'd consider a great season so far, with no victories in nine starts, the 57-year-old German came out hot in the opening round of the Senior Players Championship. The Champions Tour's third major of the year teed off Thursday at historic Belmont Country Club in Massachusetts.

The reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion, who had five wins in 2014 to bring his total on the over-50 circuit to 23, carded eight birdies and two bogeys for a 6-under 65 for a two-stroke edge in the $2.7 million event.

His mark tied the course record. The World Golf Hall of Fame member knew he was close to something momentous in mid-round. "I was watching the leaderboards and I saw a bunch of 3- and 4-unders, so I figured that must be doable," he told reporters.

His title in the 2014 Senior Players Championship preceded another major - the Senior British Open a month later - giving him four majors after turning 50. Always the realist, Langer said later there's still a long way to go for his second straight title in the tournament. "It's still early in the week, so I'm just trying to not shoot myself in the foot and be in contention."

Trailing by two are Americans Rocco Mediate, Lee Janzen and Guy Boros. Janzen, a two-time U.S. Open champion, will move on to Chambers Bay next week for the 115th U.S. Open at Chambers Bay after he qualified for 20th national championship on Monday.

Mediate was impressed with how the Belmont layout played. "Golf course is fantastic," said the 52-year-old Pennsylvanian of the club, which turns 100 in 2018. "It just keeps you on your toes really. I missed a few fairways today by feet, a couple of feet, and it was nasty."

Three strokes behind Langer are Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and American Gene Sauers.

Montgomerie, winner of the Senior PGA Championship in May, had three birdies and the rest pars. He, like Mediate, was a bit tentative about his approach at Belmont. "I'm not quite comfortable yet," the 51-year-old said. "You play defense a wee bit around here and you've got to position your ball and it's (like) playing chess."

Tied for seventh each all posted 69s were Mexico's Esteban Toledo and Americans Loren Roberts, Mark Calcavecchia, Marco Dawson, Scott Verplank, Russ Cochran and Olin Browne. Calcavecchia won last week's Principal Charity Classic in Iowa.

The winner of the Senior Players Championship earns $405,000 and 810 Charles Schwab Cup points.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/champions/leaderboard.html.