It was not the original Claret Jug he had coveted as a boy growing up in Anhausen, central Germany, but the smaller version was the perfect consolation for Bernhard Langer after a masterclass in risk-free course management to win the Senior Open Championship.
The 52-year-old former world number one did exactly what he had to do at Carnoustie in his usual considered, precise style, completing a 72 for a five-under aggregate of 279 and his first senior major to go with the two Masters titles he claimed in his illustrious regular tour career.
US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin, the only player in the field with a realistic chance of catching Langer, made a brave bid but a key bogey on the 15th and some bad luck up the last saw him finish with a one-under 70 to finish a shot adrift in a clear second place.
“This ranks very high in my career,” Langer said. “My two Masters wins and some of the Ryder Cup stuff will always rank highest, but it’s a thrill to finally hold this trophy.
“As you know, I always wanted to win the Open Championship and this is the next best thing.”
He added, “I will probably not win the Open now, but I’m delighted to win the Senior Open on a great golf course like this.”
Langer gets an exemption back into the Open next year at Sandwich as a result of this victory, and he has a second place and two thirds in four championships there.
“I’ve had some good results there before but I believe it’s a pretty long course now, and maybe doesn’t suit senior players, but we’ll see,” he said.
Taking a three-stroke lead into the final round, having plotted his way around Carnoustie’s many hazards in controlled fashion for three days, Langer’s firm grip on the championship only loosened briefly when he reached the turn and his ability to get up-and-down in masterful fashion momentarily deserted him.
He missed the greens at both the eighth and ninth and, attempting to use the putter from off the green, failed to get down in two and bogeyed both.Gap closingPavin played simple par golf without much incident, merely a birdie at the second and a bogey at the seventh which left him four in arrears. But after Langer’s difficulties and his own birdie at the 11th, the gap was suddenly only a stroke.
The German visibly steeled himself, made an excellent recovery from a greenside bunker at the 11th to save par and then did it again at the 13th, coming out of a trap to within a couple of feet, just as he had in brilliant style on Saturday.
Both players picked up the downwind birdie at the 14th, but on the 15th both ran into trouble as Pavin bunkered his second into the left approach bunker and Langer missed the green right.
In what turned out to be the key moment of the contest, Pavin splashed out but missed his 10-footer for par as Langer got up and down again, holing out from four feet for par and a crucial two-shot advantage. Both got down in two from tee shots at the 16th that fell short, and at 17 Pavin had a final chance to exert pressure when he chipped from just off the green for birdie and saw it agonisingly slip just past the hole.
One would not have expected the ultra-composed Langer to have any Van de Velde-style nerves up the 18th, but he had to nervously watch his tee shot stop just a few feet from the point where the Barry Burn cuts back into the fairway area.
He said, “The wind was switching around for the last four holes and I wanted to take the bunkers out of play, which was my strategy for the whole week.
“I hit a three-wood and pushed it a little too close to the water for my liking but it was thankfully okay.”Langer ruthlessFrom then on Langer played the fearsome closing hole exactly as the Frenchman had needed to do in 1999: a lay-up short of the crossing point, a solid shot to the heart for the green, and two putts for a bogey and victory.
Pavin had needed at least a birdie, and unluckily found a sanded divot with his second shot, meaning he just cleared the last sweep of the Barry Burn and had to settle for a par and second place.
“Corey needed a birdie up the last and the odds were against him with the wind direction, so it was a good decision to settle for a par or bogey,” Langer added.
The American paid tribute to the winner’s assured performance around the toughest of courses.
Pavin said, “Bernhard didn’t play his best golf today but he did what he needed to do to win, and that’s what it’s all about.
“At Carnoustie you have to play smart, within your abilities, and the second you try and force it out here is when you start making mistakes. But I’m very pleased with the week, all in all.”
None of the players stacked up behind could get close to the leading pair, with Tom Lehman’s 67, featuring an eagle three at the 14th and no dropped shots, clearly being the round of the day.
Australia’s Peter Senior came from well down the field with a 68 built on a brilliant start of three birdies in the first four holes, and with others falling away he crept up the leaderboard to finish in a tie for third on one-under.
Fred Funk and Jay Don Blake held on to their overnight position in third with one-over 72s and Russ Cochran holed a 45-foot putt at the last to join them there, also completing a one-over 72.
Ian Woosnam was the leading British Isles player, even after three strokes slipped away in the last two holes and left him with a 74 for a one-over total of 285.
Best-placed Scots were Gordon Brand junior and Bill Longmuir, both of whom finished on 11-over back in a tie for 41st place. Carnoustie native Fraser Mann shot a final-round 76 that left him on 16-over-par in 68th place.