Bernhard Langer shoots age again in bid to extend 18-year winning streak at Charles Schwab Cup Championship

PHOENIX (AP) — Bernhard Langer shot his age once again to put himself in position to extend his PGA TOUR Champions winning streak to 18 years.

The 67-year-old German star with a Champions Tour-record 46 career victories had a 4-under 67 on Saturday at Phoenix Country Club to take a one-stroke lead in the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship. He has shot his age or better 22 times on the tour.

“I’ve got to continue to play aggressive and hit as many fairways as I possibly can and as many greens,” Langer said. “The key for me is making putts. I’ve got to try and hit 15, 16, 17 greens in regulation if I can and make a bunch of putts.”

He has fought back after tearing his left Achilles playing pickleball in February.

“It would mean a great deal because of what I’ve been through this year,” Langer said. “And also, I didn’t win this year. It’s the first time in my Champions Tour career that I didn’t win in a season. So yeah, there will be a little extra effort tomorrow.”

Defending champion Steven Alker, second behind Ernie Els in the season standings, was second after a 63 — poised to pass Els for the $1 million bonus. Els was tied for 14th after a 71.

“The whole goal was to defend the championship this week and, if I do that, then the Schwab Cup’s a bonus,” Alker said.

Alker had a run of five straight birdies, but closed with six straight pars.

Richard Green was third at 11-under after a 63. Alex Cejka had a 68 to get to 10-under, and Jerry Kelly was 9-under after a 66.

Stewart Cink, three strokes ahead after each of the first two rounds, shot a 75 to drop to 8-under.

The top 36 players on the points list qualified for the event, with Steve Stricker the lone qualifier not in the field. He has never played a postseason tournament on the Champions Tour.

Langer is 22nd.

Things to know

• 67-year-old World Golf Hall of Fame member Bernhard Langer holds a one-stroke lead over defending champion Steven Alker entering the final round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. Langer seeks his record-extending 47th win on PGA TOUR Champions.
• Alker, who entered the week No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, is projected to win the Charles Schwab Cup after Saturday’s third round. It would be his second Schwab Cup in three years after taking home the season-long prize in 2022.

Bernhard Langer, 69-64-67 – 200 (-13)

Charles Schwab Cup standings – Start: 22nd / Projected: seventh

• The 67-year-old seeks his record-extending 47th win on PGA TOUR Champions (356th start).
  • His 46 wins are currently one more than Hale Irwin (45) for the most in Champions Tour history.
  • Last win: 2023 U.S. Senior Open.
• Seeks his first win of the 2024 season (16th start).
  • Best finish in 2024: 2nd (Ascension Charity Classic – lost in playoff).
• It would be his 18th consecutive year with a win on PGA TOUR Champions, dating back to 2007.
  • Has at least one win in each of his years on PGA TOUR Champions.
• Note: 2020-21 was a wrap-around season but he won during both years.
• Shot his age or better for the 22nd time on PGA TOUR Champions, and second consecutive day of doing so.
  • At 67 years, 2 months, 14 days, he would extend his record as the oldest winner in PGA TOUR Champions history with a victory on Sunday.
• Currently holds the top five spots on the oldest winners list.
  • This is his 48th time leading/co-leading entering the final round on PGA TOUR Champions.
  • Is 30-for-47 converting those into victories.
• Will play in the last group of the final round for the third time this season.
  • Is 0-for-2 converting those into victories.
  • Is projected to move to No. 7 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings after starting the week No. 22.
• Has finished in the top 10 of the final Charles Schwab Cup standings in 11 consecutive seasons, dating back to 2012.
• Making his 16th appearance at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, his best finish is second/T2 (2013, 2015, 2016).
• This is one of 12 events on the 2024 schedule that he has never won.

Steven Alker, 70-68-63 – 201 (-12)

Charles Schwab Cup standings – Start: second / Projected: first

• Richard Green, who entered the week No. 6 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, carded a 63 to move into third at 11-under. He shot the lowest front nine score in Charles Schwab Cup Championship history with 7-under 29.
• The 53-year-old seeks his first win on PGA TOUR Champions (55th start).
• Has five runner-up finishes on PGA TOUR Champions, including four this season.
• Alex Cejka sits in fourth at 10-under after shooting 68. The 53-year-old seeks his fourth win on PGA TOUR Champions (92nd start).
• Jerry Kelly carded 66 and sits in 5th at 9-under. The 57-year-old seeks his second win in his last three starts after capturing the SAS Championship in October.
• 18- and 36-hole leader Stewart Cink sits in sixth at 8-under after carding 75. He shot 4-over 39 on the back nine.
• World Golf Hall of Fame members and past champions Padraig Harrington (2022 champion) and Vijay Singh (2018 champion) are T9 at 5-under.
• World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els, who entered the week atop the Charles Schwab Cup standings, sits T14 at 3-under after posting 71. He is projected to move to No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

Other Notes

• Richard Green, who entered the week No. 6 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, carded a 63 to move into third at 11-under. He shot the lowest front-nine score in Charles Schwab Cup Championship history with 7-under 29.
• The 53-year-old seeks his first win on PGA TOUR Champions (55th start).
  • Has five runner-up finishes on PGA TOUR Champions, including four this season.
• Alex Cejka sits in fourth at 10-under after shooting 68. The 53-year-old seeks his fourth win on PGA TOUR Champions (92nd start).
• Jerry Kelly carded 66 and sits in 5th at 9-under. The 57-year-old seeks his second win in his last three starts after capturing the SAS Championship in October.
• 18- and 36-hole leader Stewart Cink sits in 6th at 8-under after carding 75. He shot 4-over 39 on the back nine.
• World Golf Hall of Fame members and past champions Padraig Harrington (2022 champion) and Vijay Singh (2018 champion) are T9 at 5-under.
• World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els, who entered the week atop the Charles Schwab Cup standings, sits T14 at 3-under after posting 71. He is projected to move to No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

Race for the Charles Schwab Cup

The Charles Schwab Cup offers $2.1 million in prize money to the top-5 finishers at season’s end. The prize money will be distributed in lump sum deposits into a Schwab brokerage account to be invested into a Schwab Managed Portfolio (SMP), if eligible. The winner of the season-long Charles Schwab Cup will be awarded $1 million and the second through fifth-place finishers will receive prize money of $500,000, $300,000, $200,000, and $100,000, respectively.

Projected Charles Schwab Cup Standings after the third round