Bernhard Langer fired a 9-under 63 on Saturday, and leads the Dominion Energy Charity Classic by three shots heading into Sunday’s final round at The Country Club of Virginia.
The 60-year old German star, who is seeking his fourth consecutive Charles Schwab Cup title, posted a bogey-free round with nine birdies, including three sets of back-to-back (4 and 5, 10 and 11, and 16 and 17).
“I’m playing nicely,” said Langer. “It’s a lot of fun. Hitting a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, giving myself opportunities and today was pretty special.”
At 14-under 130, Langer is up three on Vijay Singh, who also carded a 63.
“I just have to continue to play great golf,” Langer said. “I know he’s (Singh) a great champion. He’s won lots of tournaments and majors, so he’s a tough competitor and he’s going to try and close the gap. I’m going to have to put the pedal down and keep making birdies.”
Singh got off to a somewhat slow start, and after a bogey on the 3rd hole, the 54-year old was 1 over on the day. But beginning on the par-3 4th, the Hall of Famer ripped off four straight birdies en route to 10 in total over his final 15 holes to get to 11-under 133.
“I drove it well, hit my irons quite nice and putted nicely,” Singh said. who owns 34 PGA Tour victories. “I got my putter going, and anytime you putt well when you have so many opportunities, you’re going to make a good score.”
Joe Durant finished with a second consecutive 67 and is alone in third at 10-under 134.
Michael Allen (64) and Scott Verplank (66) are tied at 9-under 135, and round out the top 5.
THE SCORECARDS
TOP 10: ROUND 2
1 Bernhard Langer -14
2 Vijay Singh -11
3 Joe Durant -10
4 Michael Allen -9
4 Scott Verplank -9
6 Woody Austin -8
6 David Toms -8
8 Jeff Sluman -7
8 Lee Janzen -7
8 Scott Dunlap -7
8 Olin Browne -7
NOTES: DOMINION ENERGY CHARITY CLASSIC
- Langer and Singh, who will make up the final grouping on Sunday, have only been paired together twice before: the final two rounds at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, where Langer won by three shots.
- Opening-round co-leader Rocco Mediate struggled on day two finishing with a 3-over 75 to plummet from T1 to T45.
- David Toms shot a bogey-free 3-under 69 (T8) and has now gone 78 consecutive holes without a bogey. The Champions Tour record is 98, set by Morris Hatalsky in 2003.
- Scott McCarron, the tournament’s defending champion, posted a 4-under 68 and is T25.
- Kevin Sutherland shot a second consecutive 2-under 70 and is also T25.
- Kenny Perry carded a 5-under-par 67 and moved up to T17.
- Miguel Angel Jimenez had the day’s hottest finish: eagle-birdie-eagle (-5 over final three holes) which helped him offset five earlier bogeys and finish at 3-under 69.
- Colin Montgomerie, winner of last week’s SAS Championship, and two of the last four events, moved up 15 places to T12 after shooting a 5-under 67.
- Jerry Kelly withdrew after four holes due to a back injury.
QUOTABLE: BERNHARD LANGER
“I hit the ball closer to the hole today and made a couple more putts. Yesterday I had a lot of lip-outs or close calls. Today I made a couple and hit them closer, so it’s easier to make them when you’re 10 feet away than from 20 feet.”
