Bernhard Langer’s 67, matching his age, shares lead at Galleri Classic

Age is more than just a number for Bernhard Langer. It is also his first-round score at the Galleri Classic.

The 67-year-old Langer, the ageless wonder of the PGA Tour Champions, battled both strong winds and the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club to shoot his age Friday and take a share of the lead at the Galleri Classic sponsored by Spotlight 29 Casino.

Despite sustained winds that at times reached 25 mph, Langer managed a bogey-free round, including a strong finish into the teeth of the wind, to grab a share of the lead with Cameron Percy. For Langer, the all-time PGA Tour Champions winner with 47 victories, the round was just the latest in a series of amazing magical moments on the 50-and-over tour.

“It was tough out there with the strong winds, swirly winds, some tricky shots,” Langer said. “But was able to putt very well today, made two long ones and didn’t miss anything really short.”

Langer’s round could have been even better, but playing the tough closing stretch into the prevailing wind, Langer missed makeable birdie putts on the par-4 16th and par-5 18th holes.  He also hit a bunker shot on the par-3 17th that hit the flagstick but stayed out of the cup by a few inches.

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The round was more remarkable considering that Langer missed last year’s Galleri Classic while he recovered from a torn Achilles tendon and says he is still not 100% from that injury and might never be again.

Langer said before the tournament he must hit fairways at Mission Hills to avoid being much shorter than other players off the tee and to avoid low-spin shots into the course’s difficult greens. While he only hit four of 14 fairways Friday, it was the rest of his game that kept him bogey free. He made four birdies on the front nine and just one, on the par-4 15th, on the back nine.

“Mostly the putting and then missing my second shots in the right places where I had a chance to get up and down, or even missing my drive in the right place where I had kind of an angle to go up the green,” Langer said. “I judged my shots out of the rough very well today, because you get jumpers and flyers.”

Langer, who said the strong winds hit his threesome with Fred Couples and Justin Leonard around the sixth hole, finished his round about an hour after Percy.

“We played the first few holes in not much wind and then it sort of got a bit windy and then died,” Percy said. “Thought it’s going to be okay, and then through the turn it was crazy. And right now, it’s like I hit a 7-iron on the 16th that went 140 yards, just a squall hit it and it went sideways.”

The sideways tee shot on the par-3 17th was one of two consecutive bogeys that dropped Percy to 4-under. But he then played the par-5 as a three-shot hole to avoid the lake surrounding the island green and made a three-foot putt for his seventh birdie of the day.

Three players — tour newcomer Jason Caron, Richard Green and Thongchai Jaidee — each managed 68s in the difficult conditions, with three more players tied at 69. Defending champion Retief Goosen was one of 23 players in the 79-player field to break par-72 with a 71.

Miguel Angel Jimenz, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions this year and the leader of the Charles Schwarb Cup points race, was an example of how difficult the closing holes at the Dinah Shore Course can be in the wind. He stood at 4 under through 14 holes, but Jimenez played the final four holes into the wind with a bogey at 15, a double bogey at 17 and a bogey at 18 to finish even-par 72.

Percy, still looking for his first PGA Tour Champions title, is 17 years younger than Langer, with his 47 wins. Langer believes his age is not a detriment as much as it is an inspiration.

“I hope to inspire other people. Some say, ‘oh, I’m too old, I can’t get any better anymore,’ ” Langer said. “I still think in your 50s you can still improve, maybe even into your 60s depending on what level you’re playing at because golf is very technical.

“Obviously I’m a lot shorter now and I can’t keep up with the young guys, but it’s very technical, it’s very mental and a lot of it is short game where you don’t need strength, you just need great touch,” Langer said.