Bernhard Langer leads Hoag Classic in bid for PGA TOUR Champions' record-breaking 46th title
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Things to Know
In his bid for a PGA TOUR Champions record 46th title, 2008 champion Bernhard Langer plays his last five holes in 5-under to card a 5-under 66
Seeking a fourth consecutive top-15 finish in the Hoag Classic, Miguel Angel Jimenez follows a 7-under 64 with a 4-under 67 in round two
Making his eighth PGA TOUR Champions start, open qualifier Harry Rudolph birdies three of his last five holes to sign for a 6-under 65 and reach 8-under 134 (T7) headed into the final round
Bernhard Langer (1st/-12)
Making his 12 start in the Hoag Classic, the 2008 champion played his last five holes in 5-under (birdie-eagle-par-birdie-birdie) to post a 5-under 66.
In 54-hole events completed in their entirety, Langer has converted a 36-hole lead/co-lead into victory on 20 occasions, including each of his last three efforts (2022 Chubb Classic, 2022 TimberTech Championship and 2023 Chubb Classic).
Langer is making his 12th start in the Hoag Classic and comes off a T8 in 2022.
Other Notes
Following a T5 in last year’s Hoag Classic, Memphis native Doug Barron (T2/-11) offset two bogeys with seven birdies to post a 5-under 66; Barron seeks a third career PGA TOUR Champions title in his 74th start this week (2019 DICK’S Sporting Goods Open, 2021 Shaw Charity Classic)
In his bid to become the Hoag Classic’s first three-time winner, Fred Couples (T4/-10) opened his ninth Hoag Classic with back-to-back 5-under 66s and remains the only player without a bogey or worse; the 2010 and 2014 Hoag Classic champion has never finished outside the top-10 in the event.
2022 Hoag Classic runner-up, K.J. Choi, offset one bogey with seven birdies to post a 6-under 65 and move to 8-under 134 (T7); Choi is in search of his second career PGA TOUR Champions title (2021 PURE Insurance Championship).
Defending Hoag Classic champion Retief Goosen is 4-under 138 (T35) in his bid to become the first player to successfully defend a Hoag Classic title.