By Fred Altvater
One of the most amazing stories in golf that no one seems to talk about is the long and illustrious career of Bernhard Langer. In 2021, the ageless German won the Charles Schwab Cup for the sixth time at the age of 64. Since 2010 he has either won, or finished runner-up in nine of the last 11 Charles Schwab Cup races.
Over the past two years, he played in all 39 PGA Tour Champions events and never missed one cut. Along the way he garnered two wins and collected 24 top tens. 24! Over 60% of the events Langer entered on the Champions Tour in 2020-21, he finished inside the top ten! 
While 20 and 30 somethings complain about the travel and playing in more than three consecutive events, Langer has only missed one PGA Tour Champions event in the last 11 years. That’s right, I said 11 years, which is a total of 292 tournaments out of a possible 293. Did I mention that he battled through a thumb injury and is bothered by a bad back.
While most 64-year-olds are ready for the rocking chair and cashing social security checks, Langer is still trying to win more trophies.
Back 9 Report talks about Bernhard Langer’s sixth Charles Schwab Cup win and his long career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu_PT2sJeEU&t=145s
It is difficult for any golfer to sustain a 20-year career. Simply keeping a tour card every year is an impossible task for most tour professionals. Add to the mix the arduous travel between Europe and the United States, as well as, adapting to a different culture, uprooting your family and moving to Florida, all add to the difficulty of playing professional golf at a high level.
Bernhard first turned professional in 1974 and has been competing in professional golf tournaments around the world for 47 years. He won over $30 million before the age of 50 and has won an additional $32 million on the PGA Tour Champions.
When the Official World Golf Ranking was established in 1986, Bernhard was the first player to hold the No. 1 ranking.
In addition to winning two Masters’ Green Jackets (1985 and 1993), he won titles on six continents and from every major golf association. In 2020, at the age of 63, he made the cut at the Masters on a very long Augusta National golf course.
He won 42 DP World Tour (European Tour) events, which is second only to Seve Ballesteros’ 50 wins.
Langer has competed in 106 major championships. In addition to the two Masters’ wins, he has finished runner up twice at The OPEN Championship and has a total of 19 top ten finishes in major championship competition. The most recent came in 2014, when he tied for eighth at the Masters.
Since turning 50 and joining the PGA Tour Champions, Langer has won 42 titles on that tour, second only to Hale Irwin. The smart money is that Bernhard will surpass Irwin, before his playing days are over.
And don’t forget, Langer has won 11 Senior Major titles. He has achieved the Senior Career Grand Slam by winning all five Senior Major titles at least once.
The PGA Tour Champions does not receive the headlines and bright lights the young guys get on the regular tour, but the longevity of Bernhard Langer’s career is one of the most remarkable feats ever witnessed in golf.
Stand by for more though, he isn’t done yet.
