Bernhard Langer Has Not Lost His Competitive Edge
Bernhard Langer continues to dominate the PGA TOUR Champions, and even at age 60, he shows no signs of losing his competitive fire.
Michael Bamberger’s book Men in Green, is a collection of conversations that he and former PGA Tour player Mike Donald had with 18 people in golf – some noted, some not – about different things that transpired in their golf careers. Included were the late Arnold Palmer and the quite alive Jack Nicklaus. One of the most interesting comments by any of the legends and semi-legends was from Palmer when he talked about losing the U.S. Open to Johnny Miller at Oakmont. He said that had he played the same way he did in the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills, which he won, he didn’t believe he would have lost to Miller.
Palmer said that he had lost his edge in that span between Cherry Hills and Oakmont. Palmer? Lost his competitive edge? It was a surprising comment, but if he can lose it, anybody can.
Palmer went further. He said it happens to every golfer, it’s just a matter of when.
We may have found someone to prove that theory wrong: Bernhard Langer.
Now 60 years of age, Langer shows no signs of slowing down or being less competitive. If anything, he’s found rocket fuel in the last few seasons. He is five years past the prime of a PGA Tour Champions player and won seven times this season. Seven. When it comes to who will win the season-long Schwab Cup, it’s not even close. Langer has produced a Tiger-like performance year after year, and yet, he flies under the radar in golf.
Finding the fountain of youth on the Champions Tour
Now Langer didn’t begin the PGA Tour Champions circuit with a bang, but he did begin with a victory in his fourth start. That was the fall of 2007, and the victory was at Administaff. The next season, he won three times. The following, season, four times. And it didn’t stop there. He didn’t even pause. In 2010, he won five times. That was when he collected his first year-long Schwab Cup victory.
In 2011, he was slowed down by an injury that kept him out of the Masters for the first time after 27 years of play. The issue was a thumb problem that required surgery. However, he still had one victory that season before the surgery.
When January of 2012 rolled around, Langer was ready, but it took him until the summer to notch his next victory, at the 3M. Two months later, he added a second at the SAS. The next season, he won twice. Then in 2014, he kind of went nuts, winning five times and capturing the Schwab Cup for season long play. In 2015, he won twice and finished second five times, enough for his third Schwab Cup.
Last year, Langer had four victories and four seconds. He won the Schwab Cup again. And that brings us to this season where he has seven victories.
“Out here, you normally have four or five, possibly six, years to do something. He’s 60 this year and it is quite amazing that he’s kept it going. You’ve got to take your hat off to the guy,” Colin Montgomerie told the Scotsman in February of 2017. “His worst finish last year in 22 events and, believe me, the standard is bloody good, was 13th. His average finish was less than third. I think it was 2.8 or something, which is ridiculous.”
Bernhard Langer continues to push himself further than anybody expected
Langer is still marching along finishing up his 10th PGA Tour Champions season, posting good score after good score and not backing down when he has a chance to win.
In total, Langer has 36 PGA Tour Champions victories. He surpassed Lee Trevino this season and is now second only to Hale Irwin who Langer may yet catch. Irwin has 45.
On the European Tour, where he played the majority of his career, he trails only Seve Ballesteros, who has 50. Langer has 42.
Langer’s won on every continent and in most countries that are golfing nations. He has victories in Argentina, Columbia, South Africa, Hong Kong, England, Italy, Scotland, France, The Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, Austria, Czech Republic, Japan, and the U.S.
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"“Whatever anyone thinks about Bernhard Langer, you’ve got to remember that he was one of the five Europeans who were in the top six in the world at one time, Fred Couples being the player who got in the way, so to speak,” Montgomerie continued. “He’s the one that has sustained, not just his golf but also his fitness and his dedication to the game. Everything about the guy, the ambassadorial nature of him, the diplomatic nature of him, the whole thing is quite extraordinary and you have to say ‘well done’, you really have.”"
As Langer gets ready to tee it up for the final event of the regular season, he’s 1,453,864 points ahead of Scott McCarron. There is no way he can lose the Schwab Cup at this point. The winner doesn’t receive enough to overtake him, no matter who it is. Montgomerie is right, you have to hand it to him. He hasn’t lost his edge.
Next: OHL Classic at Mayakoba Power Rankings
Winners of the Charles Schwab Cup
2016 – Bernhard Langer
2015 – Bernhard Langer
2014 – Bernhard Langer
2013 – Kenny Perry
2012 – Tom Lehman
2011 – Tom Lehman
2010 – Bernhard Langer
2009 – Loren Roberts
2008 – Jay Haas
2007 – Loren Roberts
2006 – Jay Haas
2005 – Tom Watson
2004 – Hale Irwin
2003 – Tom Watson
2002 – Hale Irwin
2001 – Allen Doyle