Langer takes Senior Open over Couples
Bernhard Langer of Germany pumps his fist after sinking a putt on the sixth hole in the final round of the U.S. Senior Open golf tournament, Sunday. (August 1, 2010) Credit: AP
SAMMAMISH, Wash. - Bernhard Langer shot a final round 3-under 67 and took advantage of Fred Couples' critical mistake to complete a daunting trans-Atlantic double and win the U.S. Senior Open championship yesterday.
Coming off a victory at the Senior British Open last week at Carnoustie, Langer finished at 8 under for his fourth Champions Tour title this year, despite a hometown crowd hoping Couples could pull out victory 20 miles east of where he grew up.
"It's never much fun, but I've had it before," Langer said of the atmosphere. " . . . I've played 10 Ryder Cups, five on American soil, you get a lot more of this. So I knew what was coming, which doesn't make it any easier."
Tied with Langer starting the day, Couples birdied the opening hole before his undoing on No. 2, a par 5 and the easiest hole on the course. Couples plopped his third shot in the greenside pond and by the time he walked off with a triple bogey, he was in chase mode. Langer didn't let him catch up.
Couples finished three shots back with an even-par 70. Olin Browne (65) and John Cook (67) were tied for third at 2 under.
Langer became the first German to win any U.S. Golf Association championship and the first Champions Tour player to win back-to-back majors since Tom Watson took the Senior British and JELD-WEN Tradition. But Watson didn't travel eight time zones and win his titles on consecutive weekends like Langer. - AP
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