Featured Golf News
Monty Missed Hottest European Player
Bernhard Langer made a fifth case Sunday at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge near Seattle that he's one of Europe's best players.
The German, who just turned 53, carded a 3-under 69 Sunday to cruise home with an 18-under-par 198 total in the 54-hole Boeing Classic, beating Nick Price (71) by three shots and hometown hero Fred Couples (67) by nine. That's right - nine strokes better than perhaps the most-heralded rookie ever on the Champions Tour.
Langer is simply playing the best golf by any player of any age, anywhere. His three-round total matched Loren Roberts's Boeing Classic record from 2009 and, in this year's tournament, the course east of Seattle played much tougher than years past - only 30 players broke par.
Mike Reid, who once lived in Woodinville, a town not far from the site of Boeing Classic, ended up tied for fourth at 8-under 208 after a 67, along with Hal Sutton (70). Russ Cochran, who shot the low round of the day, a 66, was another stroke back with Keith Fergus at 209.
Though not selected by Colin Montgomerie as a captain's pick for the 2010 European Ryder Cup team - which will go against the Americans in early October at Celtic Manor in Wales, Langer proved he should have received stronger consideration for admittance on the squad.
The victory was Langer's fifth in 2010, and 13th title overall, on the Champions Tour. "I won back-to-back tournaments, but not majors," said Langer, in describing previous hot streaks. "It's been a wonderful couple of months. What a blessing."
Langer, who won the Senior British Open in July and the U.S. Senior Open at nearby Sahalee a week later, has a newfound affinity for golf in the upper-left-hand corner of the U.S. "Maybe I should move here," Langer said. "Nick Price said there must be something in the air in Seattle. I like the area."
Despite good starts early in the season on the over-50 circuit by Couples and Tom Watson - who didn't play in the Boeing Classic, it's only a formality that Langer will win his third straight Charles Schwab Cup, a season-long points-based competition on the Champions Tour.
"Right now, I'm playing almost as good as I've ever played," said Langer, who won two Masters' titles in 1985 and 1993.
"My swing is improved, my technique is better and my caddie said he's never seen me drive as well as I have the last few weeks."
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