Bernhard Langer of Germany just keeps on winning, whether it’s official or not.
The 66-year-old Langer and his son Jason carded a 13-under-par 59 to beat David Duval and his son Brady two strokes to capture the 26th PNC Challenge for the third time in breezy conditions at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Fla.
Bernard Langer has 123 total victories in his professional career, including 46 on the PGA Tour champions, 42 on what is now the DP World Tour, including the Masters in 1985 and 1993, and 12 Senior majors.
Team Langer also won this tournament in 2014 and 2019, and in addition Bernhard won it in 2005 and 2006 with his son Stefan.
Langer’s five PNC titles tied the tournament record set by Raymond Floyd and his son Raymond Jr., who claimed their first title when the tournament was played for the initial time in 1995.
The event features major champions from the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions, plus winners of the Players Championship, teaming with relatives who are not professional golfers.
“This tournament always is special whether you win or not,” Langer said. “They only take 20 teams and there’s probably 25 on the waiting list that would love to be here. It’s always a wonderful thing to get an invitation to come and play here.
“I’ve got four kids and I’ve played in this tournament with all four of them. We have a lot of wonderful memories of this tournament.”
Team Langer birdied the first seven holes and 10 of the first 11 en route to recording a winning score of 25-under-par 119.
Team Duval eagled the second and last holes en route to a 61, which equaled the best score of the round, while Vijay Singh of Fiji and his son Cass, who won the PNC two years ago, birdied the last three holes for a 62 and were three shots back in third, followed by Retief Goosen of South Africa and his son Leo, who eagled No. 14 in a 63.
Tiger Woods sank a 19-foot eagle putt on the fifth hole and teamed with his 14-year-old son Charlie for a 61 to wind up six behind in a tie for fifth with defending champions John Daly and his son John II, who had four birdies on each nine in a 68; Tom Lehman and his son Sean, who made five birdies on the back nine in a 63, Stewart Cink and his son Regan, who also had six birdies on the back in a 63, and Matt Kuchar his son, Reagan, the first-round leaders at 67, who could manage only four birdies this time in a 68.
Steve Stricker and his 17-year-old daughter Izzy, the Wisconsin Girls State Champion each of the last two years, made six birdies on the back nine in a 64 and wound up nine strokes back in solo 10th.
Annika Sorenstam of Sweden and her 12-year-old son Will McGee made three birdies down the stretch for a 67 and finished in a tie for 11th with Mark O’Meara and his son Sean, who birdied their first three holes and the last two in another 67.
Justin Thomas and his father Mike, the 2020 PNC champions, made an eagle on their last hole to cap a 66 and wound up 11 shots behind in a tie for 13th with Nelly Korda and her father Petr, who made an eagle on the third hole and birdied the last two for a another 66.
Justin Leonard and his son Luke eagled the third hole en route to a 67 and were 15th, followed by Nick Price of South Africa and his son Greg, who had a 64, Nick Faldo of England and his son Matthew, who birdied the last two holes for a 65, and Lee Trevino and his grandson Daniel, who birdied three of the last four holes to cap a 66.
Lee Trevino is the only player who competed in this event in all 26 years.
Padraig Harrington of Ireland and his son Ciaran made only three birdies in a 70 to tie for 19th with Jim Furyk and his son Tanner, who also managed only three birdies in their 71.
This unofficial event is the final PGA Tour tournament of any kind in 2023, and the new season will start with the Sentry Tournament of Champions on the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort on the Hawaiian Island of Maui on January 4.
For complete results, visit: https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/2023/pnc-championship/S2023600
