Bernard Langer is special — call him a freak of nature if you want but at age 64 he’s going strong, won again in 2021 and his 42 Champions Tour wins leave him three short of tying the all-time wins record holder — Hale Irwin.
So as this 2022 season begins for the “over-50 set” and in Langer’s case, he falls into the “well-over-60 set” and this guy simply continues to keep the undefeated “Father Time” at bay.
Langer won yet another Schwab Cup last season and continues to confound everyone. Used to be that senior players sorta hit a wall at age 55. Irwin defied that but by the time he won No. 45, he was “only” 61 — four years short of Langer. And that was it for Hale — done, finished, through.
So Langer leads a limited field this week at the Mitsubishi Electric — a very limited field — just 42 players at Hualalai, the usual place on the Big Island. Odds-makers will no doubt have Jim Furyk as the favorite this week and why not? Furyk made the cut at the Sony and two of his four rounds were spectacular with two non-spectacular rounds mixed in. That’s what you get when you’re over 50. Just depends how you’re feeling when you get up in the morning and how cooperative the old putter may or may not be.
This Mitsubishi field is a modified Tournament of Champions, if you will. Includes the major champions from 2021, tournament winners but also has sponsor exemptions — unlike the regular tour’s TOC, which is a strict “winners only” field.
Langer turns 65 in August and most are wondering how long he’ll stay out there and how much gas is left in the tank. Truth be known, he’s not still teeing it up at his age because he’s playing poorly. Just the opposite, he’s still going fairly strong as that record sixth Schwab Cup last year.
As good as Langer is, this show can’t go on forever. He has an expiration date at some point.
So pay close attention this week.
Until he decides it’s time to shut it down, it’s still, perhaps The Bernhard Langer Show.
Jon Rahm, Cantlay, Koepka Join Players Advisory Council:
It’s that time of the year when the PGA Tour unveils the members of this season’s 16-member Player Advisory Council. Major champions Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Player Of The Year for 2021, Patrick Cantlay, will have seats on the council.
Purpose of the Players Advisory Council is to serve as a conduit to the Tour’s policy board on everything from pace-of-play initiatives, to proposed changes, to the rules and structure.
Joining Rahm, Koepka and Cantlay on the 2022 PAC will be Paul Casey, Austin Cook, Joel Dahmen, Harry Higgs, Billy Horschel, Russell Knox, Justin Lower, Peter Malnati, Graeme McDowell, Maverick McNealy, Trey Mullinax, Webb Simpson and Will Zalatoris.
Cantlay, Horschel, Malnati and Simpson were named by the current player directors on the policy board to run for co-chairs of this year’s PAC. The co-chairs will replace James Hahn and Kevin Kisner as player directors on the policy board next year.
3 Comments
baxter cepeda
First absolutely Bernie will break Hales record. It’s only a matter of time.
It may take a few more years but Langer isn’t going to diminish much from when he won the Shwab last year anytime soon.. I see him staying competitive until he is at least 70 IMO. He will win in his 70s. IMO.
I just don’t see Langer losing interest. Preparing and competing at golf is what he does. It’s hard to imagine Langer calling it quits. He may play less and less events —and even that’s a big maybe. The man STILL plays as much as anybody. Most would recommend he skip some of his least productive events, but that’s why most are not Bernhard Langer.
The interesting question will be what’s the greater accomplishment:
Hale winning 45 by 61 or Bernie getting to that mark and beyond in his mid to late 60s in this current era ? And then Maybe even winning in his 70s?
Hales time was quite competitive but the champions tour has become more competitive, although we agree some former tour players still get to cruise a little too much on the champions tour thanks to their regular tour success.
I loved following Hale back in the day and now Langer. They are both such inspirations. Hale won so much on this tour until a very advanced age, but I’m not sure he could have done much more. Langer is behind Irwin’s pace but each win now is relatively groundbreaking. And again, make no mistake, there will be more of these groundbreaking wins for Langer.
Just wait.
Tom Edrington
Personally I can tell you in his regular Tour days, Hale was quite full of himself, hated Seve, got him DQd from 1980 US Open (that’s a story for another time); My mom didn’t like Hale and all and she was a great judge of character…as for Bernie, I’m all for him getting past Hale, hope he does, not sure he can.
baxter cepeda
That’s a rough take on Hale. But i believe you and your mama. Tour players can get pretty stressed out and do some things they regret later.
As you know Seve knew how to get under people skin and that backfires sometimes.
I remember a tournament at turtle bay way back in the day. I was breaking the rules holding a disposable camera. Suddenly hales cart is right behind me and I instinctively turned and snapped a picture of him. He said no cameras with a smile and went on his way.