Bernhard Langer has a share in the overnight lead, but the veteran has no time for a practice session. Langer, 66, is more concerned about his evening therapy. They close at 6 PM, so he had to reach at least half an hour earlier. And then the former Masters champion has to “go and exercise in the hotel and do my Achilles work” for strength and flexibility.

Langer tore his Achilles while playing pickleball in early February. The racket sport played to improve hand-eye coordination was a part of his fitness regimen for the Masters, which he announced would be his last. Injury wrecked his farewell party at Augusta, but Langer was present at the Champions Dinner. 

Three months later, the 66-year-old teed off at the Insperity Invitational in Houston. Langer cited Aaron Rodgers, who tore his Achilles last September, as his inspiration. Just four tournaments into his return, the former Masters champion carded 63, closing his round with three straight birdies. The 46-time PGA Tour Champions winner is now tied for the lead at the Principal Charity Classic. 

But the two-time Masters champion insists some parts of the course give him a hard time. For instance, when his ball landed on the edge of the fairway at the fifth hole, He had to be careful on the rolling terrain because his left leg had no support. 

Langer told the media persons from Wakonda Golf Course, “My lymph nodes or whatever you call them are not working properly, it’s all clogged up. So they’re trying too drain my lymphs and get the fluid out of there, get the swelling down, loosen up my hip that by walking like this, my right hip is just shot every day and my lower back tightens up. So all of that, just stretching.” 

Golfweek reports that it’s the 15th time Bernhard Langer broke his age on the senior’s circuit. This was German International’s second low round after the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Remarkable progress while recovering from an Achilles. But even while talking about it, Langer couldn’t hide his health concerns. 

Bernhard Langer feels great to break his age, but…

Asked how it feels to break his age on the grounds, Bernhard Langer said it felt great, definitely. But perhaps this could’ve come earlier. The three-time PGA Tour winner had a 65 in the third round of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Before that, he had a 68 at the Regions Tradition on his way to a T8, his first top-10 of the season. Nevertheless, uncertainty stopped him short. 

“I had some good starts the last few rounds I played and then often didn’t finish well because I don’t know whether the leg is swelling up so bad, my hip tightens up, and my back feels stiff the longer the day goes,” Langer said in the post-round interaction with media persons. Langer, winless since the 2023 Senior U.S. Open, will hunt for his record 47th silverware at Wakonda.