Bernhard Langer's countdown to Hale Irwin's PGA Tour Champions victory record has started
Bernhard Langer has finally tied Hale Irwin for the most PGA Tour Champions victories at 45.
Where will the record-breaking victory come?
Certainly, Langer isn’t running on fumes. He looks 15 years younger than his age of 65 (every time he wins on the Champions Tour, he sets the record again as the oldest winner circuit history) and he looked in top form with his three-shot victory last week in the Chubb Classic at the Tiburon Club in Naples.
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It was his 12th title since turning 60 years old.
Langer shot 17-under for three rounds, bookended his weekend with a 64 in the first round and a bogey-free 65 in the final round and shows no evidence of losing his nerve on the greens – he drained three putts of 20 feet or longer on the back nine to hold off Padraig Harrington and Steve Stricker.
It was the fifth time Langer had won the Chubb Classic. And if you’re handicapping where he might capture No. 46, there are no shortage of venues remaining on the schedule where Langer has won multiple tournaments.
One of them is coming up in less than two months: the first Champions Tour major of the season, the Regions Tradition May 11-14. Langer has won twice at Greystone in Birmingham, Ala.
Also, don’t bet against him in the Senior British Open July 27-30. The tournament is at Royal Porthcawl, where Langer has won two of his four Open titles.
Langer would obviously love setting the record at a Champions Tour major. He’s won 11, but none since the 2018 Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.
Langer doesn’t mind chasing the courses that match his game, control off the tee and into the green, with a magic short game.
“I know there’s only certain courses I think where I can win,” he said in a news conference after winning in Naples. “There’s some courses where I have a hard time because of a lack of distance. Let’s face it … I’m not hitting it as far as these 50- or 52-year-olds. But on a golf course like this that’s very tight and not too long, I have a chance.”
Irwin won his 45th Champions Tour event in Hualalai, Hawaii on Jan. 21, 2007. Langer wouldn’t turn 50 and become eligible for the Tour until eight months later, so the 45 has been out there for his entire Champions Tour career.
“He continues to amaze us all,” Stricker said. “He just keeps going, and he stays in shape. He's just incredible, really. 45 wins, and he keeps winning, 65 years old, shot his age this week. And he's a nice person, too. That's, I think, the coolest part is he's a good guy, a nice guy, and to see the success that he's had is pretty cool.”
Woods, McIlroy take symbolic divots
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy participated in a groundbreaking for the Palm Beach Gardens arena on the campus of Palm Beach State College that will serve as the venue for TMRW Sports, a virtual golf league that includes the two founders, world No. 1 Jon Rahm, Billy Horschel of Ponte Vedra Beach, past Players champions Justin Thomas and Adam Scott and other stars such as Max Homa, Collin Morikawa, Matt Fitzpatrick Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele.
That list includes six players currently ranked 10th or better in the world, along with Woods, who spent more time at No. 1 than any player in history.
“In terms of fan experience, it’s going to be nothing like golf has offered before,” McIlroy said.
Six teams of three PGA Tour players will meet in match play on a data-driven virtual course that also includes a short-game complex for chipping and putting.
It’ll be played on Monday nights, and will take only two hours, with in-arena fans all very close to the action. There will be 15 matches in the regular season, followed by semifinals and a final.
“We’re going to have excitement, we’re going to have something different, something that is passionate,” Woods said. “We’ve been involved in teams before whether it’s Ryder Cup, President’s Cup, Irish national teams, for my high school, college, whatever it is. You’re going to get home and away, you’re going to get some people that you want to win and not win. We’re going to have that type of excitement.”
And you can bet on it. Literally, Woods pointed out.
“Wagering is part of our sport, part of our culture,” Woods said, then turned and looked at McIlroy. “We don’t know how to play golf without it.”
TGL players will be miked during the competition.
The partnership includes educational and recreational initiatives for Palm Beach State students, paid internships and classes in technology, hospitality and administrative services.
Swafford out for the season
Hudson Swafford, the only St. Simons Island, Ga., resident to date who has jumped to LIV Golf, will miss the 2023 season with a hip injury.
Swafford, a University of Georgia graduate and a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, did not finish higher than a tie for 29th in LIV events last year.
“I remain a LIV Golf player and supporter and will be attending events as soon as my recovery allows me to in a non-playing capacity,” Swafford said in a statement posted on the league's website. “I am excited for the year ahead to get healthy again and back to playing the way I know I can and look forward to being back on the course soon.”
Tour, Pacific Life announces deal
Pacific Life is the official life insurance sponsor of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions under terms of a five-year marketing agreement with the Tour announced on Tuesday.
The agreement will run through 2027.
“Pacific Life is the perfect fit as a member of the PGA TOUR’s Official Marketing Program, and we are excited to showcase their offerings and resources with our players and fans,” said Brian Oliver, PGA Tour executive vice president, corporate partnerships, in a statement. “Pacific Life’s steadfast commitment to providing financial security to individuals and families for 155 years make it an ideal company to partner with. We look forward to working alongside them moving forward.”
Pacific Life will spread its brand through broadcast and online advertising on multiple Tour-owned media platforms. In addition, Pacific Life will support various tournaments on the schedule and also plans to engage with PGA Tour players to deliver added brand awareness with a qualified audience.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
ROAD TO THE PLAYERS
Dates: March 9-12, Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
Last year's champion: Cameron Smith.
Days until first round: 15.
Tournaments until first round: Three.
Tickets: Theplayers.com.
Players trivia: Smith was 70th in driving accuracy last year, hitting 42.9 percent of his fairways; tied for 52nd in greens in regulation (62.5) but was first in strokes gained-putting.
PGA TOUR
Event: Honda Classic, Thursday-Sunday, PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens,
At stake: $8.4 million purse ($1.692 million and 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner.
Defending champion: Sepp Straka.
TV: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 2-6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m.); NBC (Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).
Area players entered: Jonas Blixt, Jonathan Byrd, Harris English, Zach Johnson, Russell Knox, David Lingmerth, J.T. Poston, Doc Redman, Greyson Sigg, Carl Yuan.
Notable: Sungjae Im (No. 18), Horschel (No. 19) and Shane Lowry (No. 20) are the three highest-ranked players in the world in the field. ... Straka shot 66 in the final round and beat Lowry by one shot. ... Honda, the longest-running PGA Tour title sponsor, is ending its relationship with the tournament after this year.
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
Event: LIV Golf Mayakoba, Friday-Sunday, Mayakoba Resort El Camaleon Course, Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
At stake: $25 million purse ($4 million to the winner).
Defending champion: New event.
TV: CW (Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m.).
Area players entered: Cameron Smith.
Notable: LIV Golf opens at the site of a PGA Tour event from 2007-2022. The course was designed by LIV CEO Greg Norman. ... Dustin Johnson is the defending league individual champion and was captain of the winning team. He earned $35.6 million. ... Bubba Watson will play in a competitive event for the first time since the PGA last May. ... LIV Golf members Graeme McDowell and Pat Perez won the Tour event at Mayakoba.
LPGA TOUR
Event: Honda LPGA Thailand, Wednesday-Saturday, Siam Country Club, Chonburi, Thailand.
At stake: $1.7 million purse ($255,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Nanna Koerstz Madsen.
TV: Golf Channel (Wednesday-Thursday, 10 p.m.-3 a.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.).
Area players entered: Chella Choi
Notable: The LPGA returns after a month off with nine of the top-10 on the women's world ranking, with only Lexi Thompson missing. No. 1 Lydia Ko leads the field. ... Madsen eagled the second playoff hole to beat Xiyu Lin. Madsen opened the tournament with rounds of 65-64 and Lin shot 66 in each of the final three rounds.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Bernhard Langer heading for familiar places to break Hale Irwin's record
