Bernhard Langer of Germany fired a 6-under-par 64 to take a two-stroke lead over Doug Garwood and Bill Glasson midway through the Constellation Senior Players Championship at Fox Chapel Golf Club in Pittsburgh.
By the time Langer figured out something was wrong with his driver on the 18th tee, he already had the lead and he added his fifth birdie on the final hole to go along with an eagle at No. 7, where he holed his second shot out of the rough from 25 yards.
“I’m going, ‘Wow, what’s the rattling for?'” said Langer, who has won twice this season and 20 times on the Champions Tour, including two majors. “And I grabbed the head (of the driver) and it was loose. So something broke inside the screw that holds the shaft in. I think it’s broken.
” … I didn’t have much of a shot (on his eagle). I short-sided myself and landed the pitch just perfect and it rolled right in. That was a bonus.”
Garwood, from Valencia and Fresno State, followed his opening 64 with a 67 that included six birdies, including two on the last three holes.
Glasson, who won seven times on the PGA Tour but is winless on the senior circuit, backed up an opening 67 with a 64 that included a single bogey on the eighth hole.
Michael Allen of San Mateo and Nevada-Reno carded a bogey-free 64 and was three shots back in a tie for fourth with John Riegger, who also had a 64, Joe Durant, who totaled 68, and Mark McNulty of Ireland, who came in at 66.
Mark O’Meara of Mission Viejo and Long Beach State posted a 66 and was another stroke back in a tie for eighth with Kenny Perry, who had a 63, Mark Brooks, who finished at 67, and Peter Fowler of Australia, who recorded a 68.
