CARY — Bernhard Langer ran away with the SAS Championship on Sunday to take the points lead into the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup playoffs.
Langer shot a bogey-free 7-under 65 for a six-stroke victory in the regular-season finale.
“I just played very solid all day long,” Langer said. “Putted well, hit the ball where I was looking and did everything exceptionally well.”
The 61-year-old German star has 38 victories on the 50-and-over tour, also winning this year near Houston. He has a record four victories after turning 60.
“I don’t have anything to prove, but I still have golf,” Langer said. “I still want to improve my own game. I still want to play to the best Bernhard Langer can play. I don’t think I need to prove anything, but I love competing, I love winning or being in the hunt. As long as I can do that, I think you’re going to see me out here.”
Langer finished with a tournament-record 22-under 194 total at Prestonwood Country Club, the tree-lined layout softened by heavy rain Thursday from Hurricane Michael. He opened with a 62 on Friday to match Gene Sauers and Tom Lehman for the lead, and he then had a 67 on Saturday to remain atop the leaderboard with Sauers.
“The 10-under was amazing,” Langer said. “I couldn’t believe there were two other guys who shot 10-under.”
The four-time Charles Schwab Cup winner also won at Prestonwood in 2012.
“It’s always fun to go back to where you’ve won before because you feel like you know how to play the course and you’re somewhat comfortable and that’s certainly the case here,” Langer said. “I’ve been probably 50, 70 times now around this golf course and I know how to play every hole.”
Scott Parel was second, closing with a double bogey for a 65.
“Bernhard is just in his own world this week,” Parel said.
Jerry Kelly had a 68 to finish third at 15 under, and Lehman followed at 13 under after a 71.
Sauers shot a 75 to tie for fifth with Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) at 12 under.
The top 72 players in the Schwab Cup standings qualified for the playoffs, the three-event series that begins next week with the Dominion Energy Charity Classic in Richmond, Virginia. Dan Forsman tied for 56th to jump from 74th to 72nd, edging John Huston for the final spot by $932. Huston tied for 46th.
