Langer wins second consecutive Senior Open
Bernhard Langer won his second consecutive Senior major this week when the Champions Tour event was held at Sahalee Country Club in Washington. Langer shot an eight-under 67 Sunday in his final round, one which saw him victorious over hometown hero Fred Couples, who finished three shots behind Langer with an even par 70.
Playing through jetlag and throngs of crowds rooting for Couples, Langer was able to take advantage of a crucial mistake playing partner Couples had made to take his second major title on the Champions Tour.
"It's hard to believe I won two back to back majors with an 8-hour time change in between and two very challenging golf courses," Langer said. "I probably played some of my best golf these last two weeks."
Though he is happy to have conquered Sahalee course – one engulfed in trees with low lying branches which frequently posed problems for golfers throughout the tournament – Langer also said it is hard to play against a favoured player, especially when that player grew up 20 miles away from the course.
"They were definitely against me and for Freddy,” said the German golfer.
Couples once again felt the disappointment of losing on the Sahalee Course (in 1998 he tied for 13th when the PGA Championship was hosted there) especially after he took an early lead Sunday with a birdie on the first hole.
Couples luck didn’t last much longer. The par-five 503 yard second hole is by far the easiest on the course. Couples pushed his tee shot right, and decided for the first time ever to forgo a hybrid for the first cut of rough. He shot the ball to land within 65-yards of the pin, and it looked like he was set to birdie.
Couples took time to prepare his next shot. What followed next was absolute disappointment as the ball landed in the greenside pond. Couples’ fifth shot went over the green, and he ended up walking away with a triple bogey.
“It was a pretty easy shot,” Couples admitted, whose early one shot lead turned into a three shot deficit. “When I birdied the first hole, that was what I thought I needed to get going. And then about 12 minutes later I was looking for a hole to crawl in.”
Langer, on the other hand, was bogey free for 44 of his 45 final holes. After Couple’s mistake took him from the lead, Langer didn’t give him any chance to rally. Langer started his winning round by grabbing a birdie at the third hole, adding another at the 480-yard sixth hole as well. He made par on the eighth and ninth while Couples was unable to deliver on the birdie opportunities he had on the third and 13th holes.
Couples birdied the 14th and putted in a 25-footer at the sixteenth in the hopes of a late rally, but Langer’s lead was too strong and he only once faltered at the 11th hole. Langer teed off and the ball carried well to the left where it landed amongst the trees lining the course.
What could have ended poorly or cost him the lead, Langer was able to correct. His next shot offered up a fortunate bounce which deflected into the middle of the fairway. He was able to achieve par and hold onto his advantage.
Moans of disappointment from Couples' fans were heard as Langer’s lucky kick made it back onto the fairways, but even Couples had to admit the German played very well:
“I never had the tee. He was up first all day. He hit it down the middle of every fairway," Couples said. "As I told him, he played eight great rounds to play the British Seniors and this without really a poor round of golf, which is tough to do."
Langer is the first golfer to win back-to-back Champions Tour majors since Tom Watson did in 2003. He is also the first German to win a U.S. Golf Association championship. Watson finished in fifth place this time at one over 66.
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