Shortly before the start of the PGA Tour Championships, Bernhard Langer undertakes the long journey to his Swabian homeland. There he visits his 99-year-old mother and recharges his batteries. Because at the age of 65 he still hasn’t had enough of sport. For his birthday he plans to repeat a special feat.
Seeing the family again, enjoying regional delicacies and relaxing in the beautiful nature – Bernhard Langer has gathered strength and energy for a strenuous late summer in his Swabian homeland. After the British Senior Open in Gleneagles, Scotland, Germany’s golf idol traveled directly to his 99-year-old mother Walburga in Anhausen at the end of July. A trip that Langer tries to fit into his busy tournament schedule every year. The Masters champion of 1985 and 1993 turns 65 this Saturday.
After the family reunion, he went back to his adopted country in the US. To escape the Florida heat, Langer spent a few more days with his family in the mountains of North Carolina before starting his preparations for the PGA Tour Champions season finale. “I’ve really enjoyed the last three weeks and now I’m ready to attack again,” said Langer, who has won 116 golf tournaments worldwide. At the first start after the break, the former world number one shared sixth place in Endicott last Sunday.
Langer has been playing on the US senior tour for 15 years and is the superstar there. He has won the over-50s title 43 times and has grossed more than $32 million to date. He has his sights set firmly on the next record: he’s still missing two victories to the record set by US legend Hale Irwin, who triumphed 45 times on the PGA Tour Champions.
But Langer’s competitors are getting younger and stronger every year. Above all, New Zealanders Steven Alker and Jerry Kelly from the USA as well as the Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez are in contention for his dominance on the tour this season. The trio has been able to celebrate three tournament wins so far, while Langer has only one. In the season standings, the Charles Schwab Cup, the German is currently only in eighth place. “I’m hoping to get a decent boost and position myself over the next few months,” Langer said on the PGA Tour Champions Instagram account. “It won’t be easy, but I’ll try my best. We’ll see where I stand in a few months.”
Typical Langer. He is characterized by great ambition, endless passion for his sport and a grandiose discipline. There is no plan as to when he will finally put the golf clubs in his pocket. Of course, the strength isn’t what it used to be, but he makes up for it with agility and fitness. In his US adopted home of Boca Raton in Florida, the father of four tortures himself every day in the gym and on the golf course.
On his 65th birthday, Langer will be playing tournament golf again – exactly where he was a year ago. In Grand Blanc in the US state of Michigan, the jubilee achieved a real feat: On his 64th birthday, he fulfilled a lifelong dream and played exactly his age with a round of 64. Hardly any golfer is granted this experience in life. This year, the feat will be a little bit easier for Langer.
