Langer leads in title defense at Toshiba Classic
Newport Beach, CA (Sports Network) - Defending champion Bernhard Langer
birdied the 18th hole Friday for a six-under 65 and the first-round lead at
the Toshiba Classic.
Langer, who beat Jay Haas on the seventh playoff hole last year, went four-
under par over his last four holes to take a one-shot lead over Jim Colbert,
Bob Gilder and Eduardo Romero
Mark O'Meara and Denis Watson were another stroke further back at four-under
67, while Tom Watson led a five-way tie at 68.
Langer, the two-time Masters champion who won his fifth Champions Tour title
in January, moved from the middle of the pack to the top of the leaderboard
with a scorching finish on Friday.
He made birdies at the fifth and sixth holes, but bogeyed the par-three eighth
to make his turn at just one-under par -- putting him several shots off the
lead. Langer posted three straight pars after that, then another birdie at the
12th.
Langer began making his closing run with a long eagle putt from the front of
the green at 15, then followed that with a birdie at the 16th to move into a
share of first place.
At the par-five 18th, Langer reached the green in two shots with a five-wood
from 212 yards. But he missed the six-foot eagle putt, settling for a birdie
and his one-shot overnight lead.
"I struck the ball extremely well, drove it nicely, just missed a couple of
short putts," said Langer, who -----
Golden State - Guard Stephen Jackson (3/6, hamstring) missed Friday's game
against Detroit.
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