Bernhard Langer Says Legends May Struggle To Walk Senior Open Without Cart

Bernhard Langer says he is one of a number of golfing legends who could struggle just to complete the walk at Carnoustie during the Senior Open this week

Bernhard Langer at the 18th green during the final round of the PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Paul Higham
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As he gears up for the Senior Open, Bernhard Langer voiced his doubts over whether he would be able to walk Carnoustie for the duration of the tournament - and added that he wouldn't be the only one.

The 66-year-old is still recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered in February, and is concerned about his ability to make it walking four rounds at Carnoustie.

German star Langer is the record winner on the PGA Tour Champions circuit and is the only man to win all five senior Major titles in history.

It's not his golfing ability that will be severely tested though, and rather just his physical ability to walk the course - as is the case for several golfing legends taking part.

Langer gets the use of a golf cart in America due to his injury, as does the likes of John Daly, Paul Broadhurst and Vijay Singh, but they won't have their wheels with them at Carnoustie.

As many as 10 players teeing it up in the Senior Open use carts in the United States, says Langer, and they'll be trying their best to play through the pain at Carnoustie.

"Some of the us in America have the ADA, the American Disability Act, and I’m on there right now with my torn Achilles’, and so we get a golf cart in America," said Langer.

"Probably right now, about eight or ten of us, including Vijay Singh and Paul Broadhurst and John Daly to mention a few, and most of them didn’t get one here.

"But they still made the trip and still try to walk, even though it’s painful and it’s difficult, and some of us aren’t even sure we’re going to make it to tell you the truth."

Bernhard Langer at the 2023 Masters

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Langer says he's only managed to walk the full 18 holes twice since his injury in February, and is playing this week more in hope than expectation of being able to complete the tournament.

"I haven’t walked four times 18 holes, well, since last year, not since my injury," added Langer. "I’ve only walked twice 18 holes. I’m not sure I can do it but I hope I can."

Alex Cejka won the Senior Open in awful conditions at Royal Porthcawl last year, and is back defending his title against a host of legendary names in the game.

Paul Lawrie is back at the scene of his memorable 1999 Open Championship victory, while Padraig Harrington was also a winner at the venue in 2007 and is in the field as he looks to add another Major to his fast start in the senior ranks.

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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