Bernhard Langer Equals PGA Tour Champions Record With 45th Win
The German legend secured victory in the Chubb Classic to draw level with Hale Irwin
While Jon Rahm was in the process of reclaiming the World No.1 position with his win in the Genesis Invitational, the very first person to reach the summit 37 years ago, German legend Bernhard Langer, was writing his own piece of history in the Chubb Classic on the PGA Tour Champions.
Langer held off the challenge of Steve Stricker and Padraig Harrington to win at Tiburon Golf Club by three shots for a record-equalling 45th time on the Tour, tying the lead with Hale Irwin.
Langer’s victory was rarely in doubt and he closed out victory with birdies in five of his last seven holes. With a two-shot lead going into the 18th, he was hardly likely to let it slip and finished his round of 65 with the last of those one-unders.
Langer’s performance was virtually imperious throughout and, as well as shooting his age in the final round, he beat it in the opening round in Florida with a 64. Those scores bookended a second round of 70 as he claimed his fifth victory in the tournament to earn $270,000 and a place in the record books.
Not surprisingly, Langer was delighted with his achievement. He said: “Well, it's extremely special because we've been talking about it for so long it seems now. When I first came out here, I thought, this is never going to happen. When I heard Hale Irwin had won 45 times, I'm going, this is awesome and amazing, and it still is and always will be.
“Hale, if you're watching, congratulations. You're a great champion, and I'm honored to have tied your record. We need a toast for the glass of champagne or something. But I'm thrilled to have gotten to the number 45, so now that talk is all hopefully a little less every day I show up or every week, and I can focus on other things.”
Langer’s thoughts will now surely turn to beating the record. He is due to play again in the Cologuard Classic in Tuscon early next month, and explained he fancies his chances. He said: “That's another golf course where I think I can still compete, and we'll find out. I've won there once before. But that doesn't mean it's going to happen. I certainly am going to give it a shot. We'll see if it happens. If not, as I said, life goes on, whether you win one more or not or whether you have another record or not.”
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Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
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