Langer shoots 68, takes second-round lead
July 30, 2010
SAMMAMISH, Wash. (AP)—Bernhard Langer waited much of Friday morning for thesoupy fog on the Sammamish Plateau to finally lift. He spent the evening waitingfor someone to make a charge up the leaderboard.
In between, Langer put himself in position for a second consecutive majorchampionship.
Langer overcame a shaky front nine with an eagle and birdie on the inwardhalf to take the lead at 3 under in the second round of the U.S. Senior Open asmany of the other contenders simply tried to stay close entering the weekend.
After a fog delay of more than two hours brought play to a halt just before8 a.m., Langer shot a 2-under 68 making a number of key putts on the back ninewhen his round easily could have slipped away.
“You never quite know. It’s the type of golf course that any hole can getto you,” said Langer, coming off a victory last week in the Senior British Openat Carnoustie. “You just got to be careful and hit good shots.”
Langer was careful, not to mention a little fortunate with the putterFriday. He’s the only player with two rounds in the 60s on the par-70 layout atSahalee Country Club, and will take a two-shot lead into the third round.
If successful this week, Langer would be the first player on the ChampionsTour to win consecutive majors since Tom Watson in 2003 in the Senior BritishOpen and Tradition.
But Watson didn’t win those titles in back-to-back weeks with eight timezones in between.
“This is a big enough event to pick yourself up and get motivated and getmoving,” Langer said. “I don’t have a lot of problems with that.”
While Langer managed to tame the ball-hawking tree limbs of Sahalee, otherswere far less successful. Only four players finished the second round under par,with another four sitting at even. First-round leader Bruce Vaughan gave backall of his 66 from Thursday before he made the turn.
Little known J.R. Roth had a 66, the best round of the day. He curled in a25-foot bender on the 18th to finish at 1 under for the tournament. John Cook(68) and Tommy Armour III (68) also were 1 under.
“I think the way USGA sets up the golf course it really is good for me,because I’m just one of those guys that grinds it out,” said Roth, playing inhis first USGA event in 35 years.
Hometown favorite Fred Couples and Watson led the group at even par.Constantly trying to stretch out his always stiff back, Couples sent a wave ofroars echoing between the cedars and firs of Sahalee when he dropped in a tricky35-foot bender on the par-3 ninth that got Couples back to 1 under. A pair ofbogeys early in his back nine pushed Couples to 1 over, but a birdie at No. 16and pars on the last two holes left Couples right where he started.
“I didn’t realize last year that they shot so many under, wherever theyplayed,” Couples said about Fred Funk’s winning score of 20 under last year atCrooked Stick. “But I think that kind of killed us here because there may notbe anyone under par when the tournament is over; it’s that hard.”
After a bogey at No. 1 and birdie at No. 2, Watson made 14 straight parsbefore a bogey at the 17th when his tee shot imbedded in the bank near the waterhazard in front of the green. Watson took a drop, but chunked his chip and madebogey.
He rebounded with a birdie on the uphill par-4 18th, the second-toughesthole on the course.
Scott Simpson and Tom Kite were 1 over, four shots back.
They’re all still chasing Langer.
He was 1 over on the front nine after missing a short par putt on the ninth,then jump-started his round with an eagle on the long par 5 11th hole, sinking a40-foot putt for the first eagle on the hole this week. Langer made long parsaving putts on Nos. 12 and 15, then birdied the par-3 17th, knocking a 6 ironto six feet. Langer delicately two-putted on the 18th to finish his round.
“I hit it straight and made some putts. It’s always the same, isn’t it?”Langer said. “Just different venues, different conditions, but it’s always sameidea, hit it where you’re looking and try and play smart.”
While scores were generally closer to par than Thursday’s first round whenjust eight players broke par, low scores were still tough to find. Larry Mizewas 3 under on his round with two holes to play before a double bogey on his17th hole. Roberts seemed poised to join Langer at 3 under before a double bogeyat the 15th. Cook also made a pair of bogeys on his final three holes.
“Here there’s no mystery, you just have to put the ball in the fairway andthen you have to hit quality iron shots with the right trajectory anddistance,” Cook said. “Otherwise, you might as well just pack up and go,because it will eat you alive.”
The second round had barely started when fog brought play to a halt. The lowcloud deck engulfed the course and made it nearly impossible to see the end ofthe driving range. Play was stopped at 7:48 a.m. and the delay of 2 hour, 12minutes pushed the afternoon starting times back. The final groups were still onthe course after 8:30 p.m.
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