Ageless Langer controls US Senior Open as Pampling stumbles
Contrasting days for Rod Pampling (left) and Bernhard Langer – image USGA James Gilbert
65 year old and 45 time PGA Tour Champions titleholder, Bernhard Langer, has opened up a two shot lead over Jerry Kelly and three over Steve Stricker at the US Senior Open in Wisconsin and, despite Langer having won this title only once previously, the German is clearly the man to beat in tomorrow’s final round at Sentry World in Stevens Point.
Langer began today’s third round one shot ahead of Australia’s Rod Pampling but birdies at his opening two holes set the tone for a day where he would complete a 3 under par round of 68 and with Pampling dropping six shots in his first five holes it would be Kelly and 2109 champion, Stricker, who would take up the challenge.
When play was completed only five players were under par for the 54 holes and realistically it appears only they Langer, Kelly, Stricker, Y.E Yang and Retief Goosen remain as chances to win the title.
Like every other player in the field, Langer has found the Sentry World layout an extremely demanding examination, especially given he is giving up quite a bit of yardage to the rest of the field but his immaculate course strategy and skill saw him take control with four birdies and one bogey.
One of the fittest players on the 50-and-over tour, Langer, who turns 66 in 56 days, put himself in position to become the oldest champion – by eight years – in U.S. Senior Open history. Allen Doyle was 57 years, 11 months, 14 days when he successfully defended his title in 2006. Langer, who won this title in 2010, would also surpass five-time USGA champion Hale Irwin (3 U.S. Opens, 2 U.S. Senior Opens) as the winningest golfer on the PGA Tour Champions with 46 titles.
Langer will play tomorrow’s final round with local Jerry Kelly and he is aware that he won’t be the popular favourite to win the title.
“Yeah, it’s going to be difficult. I remember playing against Fred Couples in Seattle, actually in this championship, and if there were 30,000 people, there were every one of them cheering for Fred, and the only one for me was my caddie, who was my son at the time.
“It was like a Ryder Cup match in America. It’s going to be similar tomorrow I take it. Hopefully the crowd will be somewhat fair and still appreciate good golf shots. I understand. They want their hometown boy to win. I’ve been there myself.
“It’s going to be an interesting day.
“I’d rather be in the lead than behind because if I’m in front I can make a mistake or two and still be in the lead. If you’re three behind and you make a mistake or two, you’re five behind, something like that.”
Pampling’s round and confidence were brought undone early when he dropped five shots in two holes at the 4th and the 5th and he was never able to get things back on track although that he was able to play the final 13 holes in just two over par while playing with Langer and after the early shock was quite and achievement in itself.
“You know, I just got super unlucky on that 4th hole hole,” said Pampling. “Just the shot came out really hot. Just trying to play safe and then it was just a gnarly next lie, and it just came out left, unfortunately, and just added up quick.
“As I say, it happened quickly, but it’s not that we weren’t thinking about what we were doing. The ball come out high, which out of this rough it normally doesn’t come out high, and it clipped that tree, and then it was just — I got a terrible break after that.
“But I hit a poor shot, and then just hit a bad second shot to the par-5, as well.
“Other than that — hey, you never want to have days like today, but unfortunately you have them, and you still have them. Just let it go and get ready for tomorrow.”
Pampling’s position as the leading Australasian was taken by Steve Alker whose round of 70 included birdies at his final two holes. Alker is now in 17th position at 5 over, while Pampling and Richard Green are 20th at 6 over and Mark Hensby 42nd at 10 over.
