Bernhard Langer birdied four of the last six holes to shoot 66 and take a two-stroke lead over Kenny Perry and Chien Soon Lu of Taiwan into the final round of the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club.
Langer, seeking his 20th victory on the Champions Tour, opened with a 63 but got off to a slow start in the second round with bogeys on two of the first six holes, before he steadied the ship with six consecutive pars and then heated up on the back nine.
“I had a couple of hiccups on the front nine,” said Langer, the 2008 Toshiba champion. “I felt I was playing OK. I told my caddy, ‘Let’s try and play a good back nine,’ and I did.”
Perry followed a 66 with a 65 that included three consecutive birdies through No. 13 and a 12-foot eagle on the final hole.
Lu, seeking his first victory in the United States after winning 34 times in Asia, carded three birdies in the first seven holes, then added two more birdies and an eagle on the last five to post a 66.
Scott Dunlap birdied four of the last seven holes to record a 64, and was three shots back in a tie for fourth with 2010 Toshiba champion Fred Couples, who had a 67, Esteban Toledo, who shot 65, and Jeff Hart, who came in with a 67.
Tom Watson, 64, collected five birdies on the front nine and closed with a 30-foot eagle putt to card a 63, equaling the low round of the day and shooting his age or better for the first time in his life to wind up in a tie for 12th.
