Three-time Senior Major Champion Bernhard Langer has arrived at the Scioto Country Club ahead of his ninth US Senior Open Championship appearance brimming with confidence.
Langer, a previous winner of the US Senior Open in 2010, has been in superb form on the PGA TOUR Champions circuit with three wins and 11 top ten finishes from 13 events.
“I feel pretty good about my game. It's been a phenomenal year. I've already won two Majors, and lots of good finishes. I've been in contention a number of times,” Langer said.
“I won my 100th tournament this year and then went to 101, which is pretty exceptional. Not many people have done that. So I'm very, very pleased to still be playing at this level at my age.”
The 58 year old has had to make slight adjustments to his game over recent years but maintains that his competitive nature has helped push him into third position on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit.
“I can't do the things I did 20 years ago, but I can still improve my technique,” he said.
“I have a very competitive nature. Whatever I do, I want to do it well and good, and that's why I prepare appropriately so I expect something. I'm not here on vacation.”
Notably with the rule 14-1b change this year, Langer made slight adjustments to his putting stroke but is yet to miss a beat on the Senior Tour.
“I practiced a great deal. Spent many weeks, months, lots of hours on the putting green, trying different techniques but also working with the putter non-anchored. And in the end, I came to the conclusion that in the short term, it's definitely the easiest for me to putt non-anchored.”
“You're taking chances. Every time you pull a club, you take a chance in executing it. Sometimes you pull it off, and sometimes you don't. But thrilled with my Senior career so far. It's been an amazing ride. Sometimes I've got to pinch myself, all the good stuff that's happened.”
No stranger to success on the big stage, including the Senior Open Championship twice in 2010 and 2014, and his Masters Tournament victories in 1985 and 1993, it will be the German champion’s first time on the home course of American Jack Nicklaus, competing alongside 20 Senior Tour Members for the final major of the season.
