Langer shows old swingers can still shine in majors
German golfing great Bernhard Langer is threatening to make what could be his last British Open a memorable farewell after a fine third round on Saturday. Looking sprightly for 60, and still with flowing blond locks, he carded a three-under-par 68 at Carnoustie to move to one-under in a tournament he ruefully admits is the one he really wanted but got away during his stellar career. "It could well be my last," said Langer, twice a Masters champion and twice an Open runner-up, of his appearance here this year. He qualified for Carnoustie thanks to his victory in last year's Senior Open, entering the field with fellow 60-year-old Sandy Lyle, another former Masters champion who missed the cut on Friday. "That's the only way I'm going to get back in the tournament is by winning the Senior Open Championship because I'm not going to go qualify." Langer, who also made the cut at this year's Masters, said ruefully he would have loved to have lifted the Claret Jug once. "Yeah, it's been a good run," he said. "I've looked at it, and I've had seconds and thirds, several of them. "Came close. It's the one I wanted, and I didn't get. What can you do? I've been blessed with two Masters titles and many other victories." The most recent of those titles came in 1993, and Langer turned professional in 1972. That highlights the unique nature of a sport that allows players of his age to keep competing with those far younger. "You can really only do that in the game of golf," said Langer, who was 47 when he finished tied for fifth in the 2005 British Open. "You can't do it in tennis or in soccer or whatever because it's all physical. "Golf, there's a lot more to it. It's very technical. It's very mental. It's consistency. It's strategy. "And especially on links golf, you can play every hole three different ways or two different ways for sure." - 'It's not easily done' - Langer says he does not practise anymore, as having competed since he was 18 his joints are feeling the wear and tear, but at least he can keep playing, while retired athletes from other sports might look on enviously. "Some of them say it, and some I can feel it or whatever," said Langer. "It's pretty unique. There's not too many of us that are still playing at this level into the 60s. It's not easily done, let's put it that way. "It's a very difficult game, as we all know, and I've been fortunate enough to be healthy enough and love the game enough that I still work at it and enjoy working at it and been blessed with a very long career. So very fortunate." Langer, who has had a greatly successful time on the seniors tour, said not all golfers were cut from the same cloth and he understood why some preferred the comfort of the television commentary booth to playing on another tour. "I can understand that other guys hang it up and do TV work or become a club pro or whatever they were doing, retire. Not everybody is made of the same -- you know what I'm trying to say."
