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PHOENIX — Stewart Cink shot a 5-under 66 on Friday to maintain a three-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Bernhard Langer, the 67-year-old German star who has a Champions-record 46 career victories, was second after a 64. He shot his age or better for the 21st time on the tour.
“Every once in a while I look back at my career and have to almost pinch myself and say, ‘Man, that’s pretty amazing what you’ve done the last whatever so many years,′” Langer said. “Like a day today, to shoot 64 — 3 under my age — not a whole lot of people can do that.”
The 51-year-old Cink had a 12-under 130 total at Phoenix Country Club, shooting a 64 of his own in the first round. The Ally Challenge winner in August in Michigan for his first senior title, Cink entered the week 12th in the season standings.
“It was actually probably a cleaner round than yesterday as far as just my processes and the quality of the shots was probably a little bit better overall.” Cink said. “I just didn’t have the hot long putts going in today quite as much, but it was a really solid round. I would love to play golf like that every day.”
Langer birdied five of the first seven holes and closed strong with birdies on 17 and 18. He’s trying to win at least one event for the 18th consecutive year.
“It’s fun to make some putts, that’s what the game is all about,” Langer said. “If you want to score low, you’ve got to make some putts.”
Alex Cejka was third at 7 under after a 66.
Defending champion Steven Alker, second behind Ernie Els in the season standings, was tied for fourth at 4 under after a 68 — putting himself in position to pass Els for the $1 million bonus.
Vijay Singh (65), Miguel Angel Jiménez (68), Jerry Kelly (70) and Cameron Percy (68) also were 4 under.
Els was 3 under after a 70.
Stephen Ames, third in the standings, was 2 under after a 72.
The top 36 players on the points list qualified for the event, with Steve Stricker the lone qualifier not in the field. He has never played a postseason tournament on the PGA Tour Champions.