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U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 12, 2014

Bernhard Langer

EDMOND, OKLAHOMA

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the 35th United States Senior Open Championship. We're pleased to welcome back Bernhard Langer with an even par 71 today, 4-under 209 after today's round. Bernhard, you recorded two bogies, two birdies, nine straight pars between the 8th and 16th hole. Can you talk a little bit about your round today.

BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah. I felt I played better golf today, hit a lot of quality shots. Hit more fairways, more greens, left myself more opportunities and just the putter got kind of cold on the back-9. Actually hit a bunch of decent putts but I think I had three, four lip-outs in a row there from anywhere from 6 to 12 feet and those hurt, you know. You can't get those back. And then on 18 I hit a beautiful putt and left it an inch short on line. So, that just sums up the last few holes. But I was pleased with the way I struck the golf ball and, as I said, you know, yesterday I putted good, today I played good. So, tomorrow hopefully get both together.

THE MODERATOR: Very good. Tell us a little bit about course conditions today.

BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah. I felt the course played very similar but it's a lot firmer. The greens were really hard. Sometimes it's hard to get the pitch fork into the ground. And the ball released, it didn't stop like it had the first couple days. Fairways are getting firmer. So, you got to allow for some run and it's just playing fast and firm.

THE MODERATOR: Tell us a little bit about your preparation for tomorrow as you lead in the final group.

BERNHARD LANGER: There's no preparation. It's putting my feet up and getting some rest and trying to hydrate.

THE MODERATOR: Very good. Any questions from the floor?

Q. You played pretty well overall but, again, you had those lip-outs. How frustrating is it when you see that Sauers is 7-under to have been that close to being right there with him?
BERNHARD LANGER: It doesn't matter where the leader is but it would have been nice to, you know, maybe make two or three or four lip-outs but it didn't happen so I got to take what it is and hopefully do better tomorrow.

Q. Bernhard, your pace looked good from your long distance putts. From six feet in is where you had the trouble with the lip-outs.
BERNHARD LANGER: Well, today I did but overall, this week I've been putting pretty good. I like the greens, the pace of the greens and I feel comfortable with my putting. I've been putting pretty decent all year. So, you know, hopefully that was just -- I know one or two of the putts I misread slightly, like I putted them straight and they were definitely left to right breakers and lipped out on the right edge. It could have been one or two that I pushed a little bit so I'm going to spend ten minutes on the putting green, hit a few six and ten footers and then go stretch and go home and rehydrate.

Q. You saw the third round leader's game up close and personal today. What did you like about what he did today and what do you have to do tomorrow to catch him?
BERNHARD LANGER: Well, he hung in there very well. He bogeyed the first hole, hitting a couple of poor shots and was a little shaky early but then he settled down and, you know, played very solid golf on the backside. His putter was really good. He made a great 5 on 14, I think that could have easily been a 6. He made a long par saving putt, good up and down from the bunker. Had a good two-putt a couple other times and stiffed one on 16 and made a great birdie on 18. So, he's played some solid golf and deserves to be in the lead right now.

Q. You're getting matched with him. Is that an advantage when a lot of people are trying to chase the leader to be playing with the leader, in your opinion?
BERNHARD LANGER: I'm not sure it's an advantage but you want to be in the last two, three groups so you know roughly where you stand coming down the last few holes so that's the more important thing I think. There's leaderboards everywhere. You always know where you are.

Q. Bernhard, do players like you, Colin and Vijay, do you have an advantage over the others on the leaderboard just having been in final groups in Major Championships before?
BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah, I would think it certainly helps to have been in that position a number of times. I think you get more comfortable as it happens over and over instead of being there once every five years or something like that. So, I certainly rather be there, you know week after week or as often as possible than just being there every once in awhile.

Q. Bernhard, you mentioned the conditions being a little firmer and faster today. How much also -- is it something of a cumulative effect with the three days, difficult conditions, got to play four days under, you know, tough championship conditions? Does that also make it a little tougher as far as the mental tenacity, et cetera?
BERNHARD LANGER: I think the weather is the hardest part. You guys don't feel it in here but out there it's pretty hot, trust me. It's 95 or 98 in the shade and we're in the sun. It's over 100 degrees and you're walking up and down the hills. It's taxing. It's just tiring. It's tough.

THE MODERATOR: Bernhard, obviously a great year for Germany with Martin Kaymer winning the U.S. Open and going into the World Cup. Could you share any of your thoughts just for Germany, what a win for you would mean tomorrow?

BERNHARD LANGER: Well, I'm trying to emulate what Martin did. He won The Players Championship and then the U.S. Open. I won The Players Championship ten days ago, now I'm trying the Senior -- I'm trying to win the Senior U.S. Open and hopefully Germany will win the World Cup. Overall, we've been doing okay.

THE MODERATOR: Very good. Any other questions? Bernhard Langer, minus 4 going into the 4th round of the 35th United States Senior Open Championship. Bernhard, thank you.

BERNHARD LANGER: Thank you
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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