ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods was an 18-year-old high school senior when he made his debut in a professional event on a European Tour tour in Thailand. This was also the first time he played with Bernhard Langer.
Thirty years later, the ever-present Langer remains a force.
Langer capped off a memorable, record-setting year when he teamed with his son Jason to produce a 13-under 59 in 30 mph winds for a two-shot victory over David Duval and Son.
Langer tied the PNC Championship with his fifth title – three with Jason, two with eldest son Stefan – held by Raymond Floyd.
Woods and his 14-year-old son Charlie shot a 61 in a scramble to tie for fifth, a day that included one shot so audacious that Woods couldn’t help but laugh. He missed the green on the nine hole at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on the left, and the son of the 15-time major champion putt it in for birdie.
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It wasn’t Just slide – It was the stare, the side walk, the raised finger signal, the fist bump, the road. Woods watched all of this and couldn’t smile wider, especially when he looked at Steve Stricker.
“To see his reaction…it happened right in front of me,” Woods said. He was excited and I looked at Strix and he was shaking his head. “It was great.”
The PNC Championship, which brings together major champions with their family members, is about moments like this. Brady Duvall, who plays at Coastal Carolina, hit a 6-iron to 2 feet on the final hole for eagle to claim second place, and his father, a former world No. 1, couldn’t be prouder.
But the day – indeed the year – belonged to Langer, the 66-year-old German two-time Masters champion who never seems to stop. Langer’s signature moment this year was winning twice on the PGA Tour to bring his total to 46, breaking Hale Irwin’s senior record that was once thought out of reach.
Win No. 46 was nothing less than the US Open.
Langer and Son, who work in investment banking in New York, started three shots behind Matt Kuchar and Son and played extremely well as they took the lead after four holes and never slowed. They didn’t tie until the par-3 eight and had 10 birdies through 11 holes.
Jason’s job doesn’t allow him to play as much, but he came to Florida early to do a little training and whatever time he spent on the greens paid off. He barely missed.
“Watching him put his foot down, it was unbelievable,” Langer said. “The ball started on the line every time. If I miss, it’s because I misread the green. Otherwise, he would have made them all.”
The difference between Langer and Floyd and their PNC titles is longevity. Everything seems to be going that way with Langer. He won his first PNC Championship in 2005, and 18 years later was once again wearing the Willie Park Trophy, a red leather champion belt.
Floyd won five of his first seven PNC Championships.
Woods knows all about the German’s longevity. He remembers the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand, playing in his mother’s home country, and being grouped with Langer, the reigning Masters champion.
“First time I ever saw anyone working with meters. That was different for me,” Wood said.
“Seeing what he’s done since then, what he does every year and what he wrestles with on the turf, and the different styles he continues to fight through, it just shows his character and the determination he has and the type of person he is,” he added. “A person has to be able to hold on to everything,” he said.
Langer remembers a lanky teenager with extraordinary speed, strength and a “hunger for the game.” “And you knew he would do more than most, and he certainly did.”
Woods finished the year with two tournaments — a 72-hole in the Bahamas, a 36-hole at the PNC Championship, and a walk in every round but one in Orlando — without any pain in his ankle, just other parts of his body affected by the injury.
But there was hope in 2024, and he was still determined to try to play once a month.
“I will be able to walk and play,” he said. “We worked hard, and we were able to recover. We trained every day, which was great. It was good to shake off a lot of rust and some doubts I had because, quite frankly, I haven’t taken a shot that has been given in a long time.
“Having to get a score and hit shots on the right number, and hit shots as a result, was great.”
Langer was walking the 18th fairway when his brother-in-law, who was holding the caddy, asked the location of the forward tee used by 84-year-old Lee Trevino and Will McGee, Annika Sorenstam’s 12-year-old son.
His brother-in-law raised the idea that Langer might be at the front for a year “with one of the grandkids chasing him.” This made Langer smile.
“We’ll see,” he said.
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Legendary golfer Bernhard Langer and his son Jason recently secured a thrilling victory at the PNC Championship, showcasing their exceptional skill and teamwork on the golf course. The father-son duo’s triumph not only captured the hearts of fans worldwide but also raised hopes for future success. However, as they basked in the glory of their win, it was announced that Tiger Woods would not be competing in the event next year, ending the anticipation for a potential showdown on the greens.