Second ROUND
Bernhard Langer is
excelling so far in his Champions Tour career. (Miller/WireImage)
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INSIDE
THE NUMBERS |
|
Langer
thru 36 Holes |
|
Eagles |
1 |
T1 |
|
Birdies |
10 |
T8 |
|
Pars |
24 |
T12 |
|
Bogeys |
1 |
77 |
|
Double Bogeys |
0 |
N/A |
|
Other |
0 |
N/A |
|
Driving Accuracy |
71.4% |
T21 |
|
Driving Distance |
271.8 yds. |
T23 |
|
Greens in Regulation |
72.2% |
T3 |
|
Putts per Round |
27.0 |
T17 |
|
Putts per GIR |
1.769 |
44 |
|
Sand Saves |
75.0% |
10 |
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PALM COAST, Fla. (AP) --
Bernhard
Langer birdied his first two holes at the Ocean Hammock Golf
Club, then avoided the mistakes that plagued his closest rivals
Saturday in the Champions Tour's Ginn Championship Hammock Beach
Resort.
The two-time Masters champion was one of
only two players without a bogey Saturday on the windy Oceanside
course. He shot a 6-under 66 to reach 11-under 133 and move two
strokes ahead of career club pro
Lonnie
Nielsen (69).
Fred Funk
(69), tied with Langer with three holes to play, made a bogey at
No. 16 and a double bogey at No. 17 to fall into third at 8
under.
Two peers of Langer's in the Hall of Fame,
Nick Price
(67) and Ben
Crenshaw (68), were 5 under along with
Joe Ozaki
(65) and Mark
McNulty (69).
Langer has won twice in 10 career starts on
the Champions Tour. A winner of 63 worldwide events, Langer is
taking his play on the Champions Tour seriously -- evident by
his four top-10 finishes in five starts this season.
"I don't prepare, why am I out here?" the
German star said. "I expect my best. I'm going to give 100
percent, the same way I do most things in life."
Langer made two short birdie putts
jump-start his round, added two other short birdie putts later
on the front nine, then birdied No. 12 from 15 feet and No. 14
from 18 inches to build his lead.
Nielsen and Funk, who will play with Langer
in the final threesome again Sunday, also expect no less from
Langer.
"I can't afford any mistakes because the way
he's playing, Bernhard's not going to make any," Funk said.
"He's really tough this week."
"Bernhard will be awful hard to beat,"
Nielsen said. "He's playing so well that he almost can't help
himself, making birdies. He's that good."
Nielsen birdied three holes in a row at one
point tie Langer, but made two bogeys on the back nine to fall
back.
Funk chipped in from birdie from 97 feet
away at the par-4 15th hole to pull even with Langer, but
bogeyed the next hole, then blew his tee shot over the green at
the par-3 17th, needed two chips to get on the green, and
two-putted for a double bogey.
"I really disappointed at myself for letting
the round go," Funk said. "I played really well -- good enough
to be right there with Bernhard."
Ian Woosnam
struggled again in his first Champions Tour start, following his
opening 78 with a 75 to finish at 9 over -- 20 strokes behind
Langer.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All
rights reserved.
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