ST. LOUIS — Bernhard Langer holed out for eagle from 76 yards on the opening gap and shot his age for the second time this 12 months with a 6-under 65 for a share of the lead with Padraig Harrington within the Ascension Charity Basic.
Langer turned 65 two weeks in the past. He shot a 64 within the Chubb Basic earlier within the 12 months.
Harrington, the three-time main champion and most up-to-date Ryder Cup captain for Europe, performed bogey-free at Norwood Hills.
Ernie Els, Jose Maria Olazabal and Steven Alker had been within the group at 66.
Harrington has two wins and 4 runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour Champions in his first full 12 months on the 50-and-older circuit. He is attempting to get nearer to Alker within the Charles Schwab Cup, although Alker is not having many dangerous weeks.
Langer has gained the Schwab Cup a document six occasions, and even at his age, the two-time Masters champion shouldn’t be slowing. He gained the Chubb Basic early within the 12 months for his forty third profession victory, two shy of the document held by Hale Irwin.
In a city obsessive about Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals attempting to succeed in 700 profession house runs, Langer is seeking to transfer nearer to a milestone he solely thinks about when requested.
“It is enjoyable to be in that place to have an opportunity to possibly catch Hale Irwin. It is not going to be straightforward,” Langer stated. “However 10 years in the past I did not suppose it was straightforward and 5 years in the past I did not suppose it was straightforward. And it is nonetheless not straightforward. Nevertheless it was nice to win 43 and hopefully there might be a pair extra left within the tank.”
Harrington remains to be getting used to this atmosphere. He got here from behind in all three of his majors, and he feels he is at his finest when he has to rally. However he is among the many longest and the very best on the senior circuit, and the Irishman says he is nonetheless studying how to deal with attempting to win from forward.
“I at all times discovered I used to be a significantly better chaser than someone out in entrance. And the one factor concerning the Champions Tour now could be I’ve had a number of leads and I’ve to be taught, and I’m studying,” he stated. “Exhausting to imagine 51 years of age and I am getting higher mentally.”
Steve Stricker, coming off a win two weeks in the past in Michigan, and John Daly had been amongst these at 67.
Former British Open champion Justin Leonard, who retired early to work tv, made his PGA Tour Champions debut with a 69.
