Langer to defend Open title

Associated Press

TOLEDO

Bernhard Langer enjoyed his time spent at home while he rehabbed a thumb injury.

Now the defending U.S. Senior Open champion is honing his game and wants to not only compete, but get back to the winner’s circle.

“I’m trying to find my way back,” he said Wednesday on the eve of the 32nd U.S. Senior Open at Inverness Club.

Langer completed an improbable — and sleep-depriving — double dip a year ago when he won the Senior British Open at Carnoustie, then flew 4,500 miles to outduel Fred Couples and win the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee near Seattle.

Those back-to-back wins were part of five Champions Tour victories in 2010 that marked him as the top player among the over-50 crowd.

Then he was stopped by a traffic signal.

Riding bikes with his family to a beach in south Florida last fall, he punched the crossing button at an intersection but somehow tore a ligament in his left thumb.

Since then, Langer has battled pain and frustration.

He won early this year at the ACE Group Classic, but then spent almost four months without effectively swinging a club. He returned to play the British Open two weeks ago but missed the cut.

Last week, defending his title at the Senior British Open, he tied for 12th.

Still not completely healthy, the 53-year-old German says his thumb is “good enough to play” right now.

“I’ve been able to play the last two [weeks] without it getting worse, so that’s a good sign,” he said.

“Weeks ago, whenever I started playing, it got worse. So I’m hopeful. It seems to be OK and holding up this week.”

With Langer still nursing his injury, Russ Cochran is trying to pull off the same double this year. He won the Senior British by two shots last week at Walton Heath, flew 8 1/2 hours back to the States and, after some celebrating at home in Paducah, Ky., finds himself chasing his second major title.

The fact that Langer pulled it off amazes him.

“That’s what people said: ‘Hey, you gonna do two in a row?’ ” Cochran said, shaking his head.