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TOSHIBA CLASSIC

March 7, 2009

Bernhard Langer

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA

PHIL STAMBAUGH: For the second consecutive day you closed strong. Today you birdied three of the last four holes, shot 68, and you and Mark O'Meara are tied at 9-under, 133 through 36 holes.
Just take us through your round today, and then go through the birdies and the two bogeys on the front.
BERNHARD LANGER: Well, I played very well off the tee. Hit a lot of tee shots again, similar to yesterday. I had a good start and a good finish, and just putted poorly in between. Just never made anything all day really. My birdies were pretty much either from close range or par-5s where I was on the green in two or something like that. Just never made any putts.
I had two, three putts, those two bogeys were two three-putts, and I missed a short putt somewhere else. That was really it. Still happy with the way I'm striking the ball. Just got to try and make some more putts.
PHIL STAMBAUGH: You just want to take us through the round.
BERNHARD LANGER: First hole was a 5-wood off the tee. Let's see, what did I hit in there? Sand iron to about ten feet.
Next one was driver, and I believe it was a pitching wedge to about 12 feet.
No.4 was a good shot with a 7-iron; three-putt from about 25 feet.
6, I hit driver there and 6-iron to the front edge and three-putted again from about 30 feet.
I had a bunch of birdie opportunities, just nothing dropped until 15 when I hit driver and -- let's see, what did I hit in there? It was only an hour ago. I should remember, shouldn't I? Having a senior moment here. Where was the flag? Oh, I tried to cut a 3-iron in there and overcooked it. Missed the green right and hit a great lob shot to about three inches.
Then 17 was 8-iron to about seven, eight feet.
18 was driver, 3-wood on the green, and two-putt from 22 feet or something like that, 30 feet.
PHIL STAMBAUGH: Questions.

Q. You finished strong both two days. Is that an advantage going into tomorrow?
BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah, it might be. I think the course is a little bit easier at the end because you have the two par-5s that are reachable. We only have one other par-5 on the front nine, and it's generally a bit easier to birdie par-5s than it is to birdie some other holes.
But, you know, I've hit some good shots the last two days on these closing holes. Hopefully I'll have -- give me some positive vibes tomorrow when I go in there.

Q. Second day in a row you said you were kind of disappointed in how you putted. The fact that you're tied for the lead - I think you're tied for 60th in the field in putting - can you identify anything that you can figure out why you've been struggling on the greens, and the fact that you're tied for the lead and you're not putting the way you want to, what do you think? Are you happy...
BERNHARD LANGER: Well, that just shows I'm striking the ball well and hitting a lot fairways and a lot of greens. I think nobody is putting great in the whole field. I don't know, but I imagine nobody is.
I'm just -- I played with Scott Hoch yesterday, and he missed a bunch of short putts, and even Crenshaw didn't make a lot. I don't think there's anyone around in 25 putts unless they're missing a lot of greens and chipping it close.
So I just have to continue to rely on my ball-striking, and hopefully I'll hole a couple. Yesterday I rolled a couple in, so there's always hope.

Q. Do you recall the last time you were paired with O'Meara? I think he said it was Houston a couple years ago when you won. Do you remember anything about that?
BERNHARD LANGER: I don't know if that was the last time, but I remember playing with him then. Yeah, that was a good, well, year and a half ago. I'm sure we played somewhere since then.
Mark's been a good friend for many years. Great player and wonderful champion with a lot of game. It'll be tough tomorrow.
Also Romero is a good player as well. Should be exciting.

Q. Mark was just in here talking about his fitness and how it's been a critical part, along with the change of equipment, over the break. Did you do anything like that: Focus on fitness and changing equipment?
BERNHARD LANGER: I've been focusing on fitness for the last 45 years. That's nothing new. Equipment? No, I haven't changed a whole a lot. I got a new driver the last three weeks, and I'm really happy with it. Otherwise, all my stuff is the same.

End of FastScripts

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