The 68-year-old German carded a final-round 66 – the third consecutive day he’s broken his age – to reach 21-under-par and close out an emphatic six-shot victory over Sweden’s Patrik Sjöland, who shot a brilliant closing 64. Matthew Cort finished third at -14, with former Ryder Cup player Peter Baker a further shot back in fourth. Paul Streeter and Michael Jonzon shared fifth place at -12.
One of the longest-running events on the Legends Tour, the WINSTONgolf Senior Open is a favourite among the players, and the addition of Ryder Cup legend and two-time Masters champion Langer for 2025 further elevated the tournament in the north of Germany.
Having opened with a spectacular 10-under-par 62, the home favourite backed it up with rounds of 67 and 66 to cruise to a first victory on the Legends Tour since he edged out Ian Woosnam at the 2008 Casa Serena Open in the Czech Republic.
“It’s awesome to win, especially here at WINSTONgolf, because I’ve been their ambassador for some time and I’ve come close to winning on a number of occasions,” said Langer. “So it’s a wonderful feeling to have finally won on this beautiful golf course, against a very good field. And it’s always great to win. It’s my first victory since I turned 68, so hopefully not the last one. But it’s fantastic to win at home in Germany and especially on the Legends Tour.”
Langer began the day five shots clear of Jonzon and was immediately on the offensive once again, with a superb run of four consecutive birdies from the third effectively extinguishing any hope the chasing pack might have had. A further three-in-a-row from the 10th onwards – which took him to a remarkable 23 birdies from just 48 holes played – enabled the German to enjoy a back-nine stroll.
“The last couple of weeks I’ve struggled a bit and was not at the top of my game, but the putter got hot this week and that’s where the score comes from,” Langer added. “Today I was just trying to put the pedal down and keep making birdies to increase my lead and not give any of them a sniff, which I was able to do. The last six holes, I just played very safe to make sure I brought it home. No chances, no risk.
“It’s always fun just playing golf and especially competitive golf. I still enjoy it. I take a few more breaks, a few more rests, but most of the time when I’m out here, I have a great time. The secret to longevity is not one thing, it’s a lot of things. You need good genes from your parents. But it’s also hard work, dedication and enough sleep. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke. All of that probably helps. And I have a great team around me from my coach to my caddie to my brother manager, and on and on.”
Matt Cort, in his debut season, is battling it out with the likes of Stephen Gallacher and Darren Fichardt for the Barry Lane Rookie of the Year award. And after finishing solo third in Germany, is now looking up rather than worrying about finishing top-20 in the Order of Merit in order to retain his playing rights for next season.
“Really good week for me,” said Cort after rounds of 68, 67 and 67. “It’s the first time I’ve been here and the course has grown on me as the week has gone on. I’ve had a good year so far, with a second in China and then fourth in Spain. I know I’ve got to play well to keep my card so that was on my mind, but with this result hopefully that’s now taken care of, which is great.
“Bernhard is so inspirational. The score he’s managed over three rounds is amazing because the course isn’t a pushover. I would have loved playing with him today, but maybe that worked out better in my favour, because there were big crowds out watching and I was in the group ahead doing my thing. But to see him compete and still win at his age is amazing. I know he’s a class player, but it’s really great for the sport and it keeps you going.”
Elsewhere, Peter Baker made up some ground on Keith Horne in the season-long Order of Merit with his fourth-place finish. Both men are some way behind Scott Hend, however, with the Australian enjoying a commanding lead at the top of the rankings.
Paul Streeter and Michael Jonzon, meanwhile, both recorded their best finishes of the season in tying for 5th place.
The Legends Tour now moves on to Puglia, Italy for the Sergio Melpignano Senior Italian Open on October 23rd- 25th. Free tickets and information about playing experiences can be found here: https://www.legendstour.com/tournament/senior-italian-open-2025
