This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sainte-Julie, Quebec • Bernhard Langer shot a 5-under 67 in windy and rainy conditions Saturday to open a three-stroke lead in the Champions Tour's Montreal Championship.
Langer had five birdies in a bogey-free second round to reach 6 under on La Vallee du Richelieu's Rouville Course. The two-time Masters champion has two victories this year and 18 overall on the 50-and-over tour.
"I hit a lot of fairways, which helps me control my distance with my irons," said Langer, from Germany. "It's a lot easier from the fairway than from the rough. I putted pretty nicely, too. I had a lot of speed on my putts, gave myself a lot of chances with the putts. I was a bit unlucky on some occasions but overall I was very pleased."
Kenny Perry, the Senior Players Championship and U.S. Senior Open winner in consecutive tour starts this summer, was 3 under along with Willie Wood, Chien Soon Lu, Bill Glasson and Anders Forsbrand. Perry had a 71.
"I made 10 pars starting from 10 through 18 so I really never could get anything going," Perry said. "It was pretty blustery out there, tough conditions. Bernhard played a beautiful round of golf to shoot a 67. I couldn't make it happen today, but I'm still in the golf tournament. ... If he (Langer) shoots even par and I shoot 4 under I'll win the golf tournament. So he needs to play a good round of golf and I need to play a great round of golf."
Wood and Lu shot 68, and Glasson and Forsbrand shot 69.
Rocco Mediate, coming off a blowout victory Sunday in Calgary, Alberta, followed his opening 75 with a 68 to get to 1 under. Last week, he shot 63-64-64 for a seven-stroke victory.
Mark Calcavecchia, the winner last year on the adjacent Vercheres layout, was 2 over after a 72. He missed the tour's previous two events because of back problems.