Bernhard Langer used his vast experience and a good helping of skill to challenge for the lead with a brilliant second round at the Players Championship on Friday.
Langer, at 50 the second oldest player in the field, tamed extremely strong winds to card five-under-par 67 at the Sawgrass TPC. Boosted by an unlikely monster birdie from 60 feet at the famous par-three 17th, the German posted a five-under 139 half-way total, certain to be very close to the lead, if not at the head of the field, at the end of the day.
"It was awesome. I hit the ball really well, had lots of opportunities," said Langer, who revealed he was playing in pain. "My back's been sore, my knee, my shoulder. The physios have been a great help, otherwise I probably wouldn't be able to play."
Langer, a two-time runner up in 1993 and 1995, made a stunning start, gathering an eagle and four birdies in the first eight holes. He bogeyed the par-five ninth but stormed back with a birdie at the par-five 11th, before dropping a shot at the 14th after a poor drive.
At the island-green 17th, his tee shot barely cleared the water, stopping on the front of the green, just about the length of a cricket wicket from the cup. The usually stoic Langer pumped a fist in celebration when the ball disappeared, but what the golfing gods give, they also take away, as he found out with a bogey at the last, where he missed the green.
Ian Poulter headed an otherwise non-existent British challenge at one-under 143, but he was extremely annoyed, to put it politely, after a poor finish.
"I'm extremely disappointed with how I finished," said Poulter, who dropped four shots in the final six holes for a 74, still better than the average score in the brutal conditions.
Five of the seven British players in the 144-man field played early, and all but one, Luke Donald, were destined to miss the cut. And Donald had to work hard to stay alive. He dug himself into a deep hole with an opening 75, but fought back with a rollercoaster 72 to post a three-over 147 total.
While Donald could prepare for the weekend, compatriots Richard Johnson (six-over), Lee Westwood (seven-over), Justin Rose (seven-over) and Paul Casey (nine-over) were on their way home. Westwood started the day in a good position, but an error-strewn 78 sent him packing, while Rose continued his recent poor form. A 73 was better than average, but he was never in the hunt after an opening 78.
While the early starters enjoyed calm conditions, a stiff breeze blew from the very start on today. It reached 20mph by noon and got even stronger during the afternoon.