Langer overcomes shaky front, takes Open lead

CHAMPIONS

Bernhard Langer waited much of Friday morning for the soupy fog at Sammamish, Wash., to finally lift. He spent the evening waiting for someone to make a charge up the leaderboard.

In between, Langer put himself in position for a second consecutive major championship.

Langer overcame a shaky front nine with an eagle and birdie on the inward half to take the lead at 3 under in the second round of the U.S. Senior Open as many of the other contenders simply tried to stay close entering the weekend.

After a fog delay of more than two hours brought play to a halt just before 8 a.m., Langer shot a 2-under 68, making a number of key putts on the back nine when his round easily could have slipped away.

"You never quite know. It's the type of golf course that any hole can get to you," said Langer, coming off a victory last week in the Senior British Open at Carnoustie. "You just got to be careful and hit good shots."

Little known J.R. Roth had a 66, the best round of the day. He curled in a 25-foot bender on the 18th to finish at 1 under for the tournament. John Cook (68) and Tommy Armour III (68) also were 1 under.

Gary Lindeblad, head pro at Indian Canyon in Spokane added an 85 to his first-round 89 and missed the cut.

Taiwan's Yani Tseng shot her second straight 4-under 68 to open a four-stroke lead in the Women's British Open at Southport, England.

LPGA Championship winner Cristie Kerr (67), Brittany Lincicome (71) and Amy Yang (71) were tied for second. Michelle Wie (76) was 10 strokes behind Tseng.

Jeff Overton shot an 8-under 62 to take a four-stroke lead midway through the Greenbrier Classic at White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

Boo Weekley (63) sits in second at 10 under.

Spokane native Alex Prugh (72) missed the cut by seven strokes at 5 over.