Bernhard Langer had one last chance.
The 67-year-old German has won on the PGA Tour Champions every year since he joined the circuit in 2007. However, that streak was in doubt last weekend. In this season's final event, the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, Langer saw his five-shot lead evaporate on Sunday and he went to the closing par-5 tied for the lead with Steven Alker and Richard Green.
Trouble ensued when Langer hit his tee shot left into the trees, but he would recover by reaching the green in three and holing a long birdie putt for the victory.
ARE YOU SERIOUS?!
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) November 10, 2024
Bernhard Langer claims the season finale in style @SchwabCupFinale 🔥
Win No. 47 for the 67-year-old!! pic.twitter.com/HcBxU6QJ8g
“Felt like a good stroke,” Langer said after the win, “but from that distance, you never know until it actually disappears. It was—when I looked up, it looked like it was on line more or less and tracking where I wanted to be and then it was just a matter of would it have the right distance and would it actually break because I played it two cups left. It did just perfectly what it needed to do and disappeared. Then all hell broke loose kind of emotionally, so it was pretty wild.”
With the win (his first-ever in the season finale at Phoenix Country Club) Langer extended his all-time senior tour wins record to 47 and also remains the oldest player to win on the tour.
Yet, considering what Langer went through this year, this win might be the most impressive of them all.
About eight months ago, he tore his Achilles and missed seven events. He remarkably returned three months after the injury and made 15 starts with eight top-10s despite still reeling from his recovery.
“The Achilles doesn't really bother me unless I have uneven lies," Langer said. "Then I can feel the imbalance. My calf is only about half as big as the other one. I just can't walk very far and I can't run and jump and all that kind of stuff. I'm not really in a lot of pain, it's just not totally right.”
But he was still able to find a way into the winner's circle for the 18th straight season—with his fellow competitors in awe.
“Incredible, just incredible,” Ernie Els said. “He just defies anything, he's an absolute incredible golfer.”
Nearing 70 years old, Langer is continuing to defy the odds. In 2022, the two-time Masters champion admitted he's closer to thinking about retirement. But four wins later, Langer remains a force.
“Winning never gets old," he said. “People say, why am I still playing? Well, this is why, because I enjoy the adrenaline, I enjoy being in the hunt and I still feel like I can win and be there on the leaderboard. I've just proven that again becoming the oldest winner again and again out here. It's been great to compete against these guys.
"Like you said, it never gets old.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bernhard Langer Extends a Ridiculous Streak on Champions Tour.
