THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Bernhard Langer shot his second straight 3-under 69 Saturday to pull into a tie with David Toms and Miguel Angel Jimenez for the second-round lead at the PowerShares QQQ Championship.

Langer, the Schwab Cup points leader who has all but wrapped up his ninth PGA Tour Champions money title in 10 seasons, birdied Nos. 12, 13 and 17 to pull even with Jimenez (70), one behind Toms (72). Toms, who had a hole-in-one in the opening round, then bogeyed No. 18 to fall into the three-way tie at 6-under 138.

Scott McCarron (69), Billy Andrade (70) and Jeff Maggert (73) _ who was tied with Toms for the lead after the first round _ were one shot back. Kenny Perry (68), Doug Garwood (69), Wes Short Jr. (70) and Scott Dunlap) were tied for seventh at 140.

Jesper Parnevik, who was one shot off the lead after the opening round, had a 74.

RICHMOND, Va. – Bernhard Langer made a 15-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th hole Sunday to overcome a mediocre round and win the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the first event in the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs.

Langer, even par for the day before getting to the easiest hole on The Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course, beat Scott Verplank by one shot. Verplank, playing two groups ahead of Langer, shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 to erase a five-shot deficit, but missed short birdie putts on the 17th and 18th holes.

Langer followed his second-round 63 with a 70 to finish at 16 under. The victory was the sixth this season and 35th on the tour for the 60-year-old Langer, and clinched the top seed in the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix.

And there it is!@BernhardLanger6 makes EAGLE on the 18th to defeat Scott Verplank by 1 shot at the @DECCGolf.#SchwabCup Playoffs pic.twitter.com/VLMT1RjCnR

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) October 22, 2017

Billy Mayfair (65), Kenny Perry (65) and Vijay Singh (71) tied for third at 12 under.

Langer became the second player on the tour for players 50 and older to make eagle on the final hole to win by a shot. Scott McCarron, who won this event last year, did it at the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Florida.

Canadians Rod Spittle and Stephen Ames finished inside the top 54 to advance to the second instalment of the Champions Tour playoffs next week in the PowerShares QQQ Championship at Sherwood Country Club in Sherwood Oaks, Calif. The top 36 will advance to the third and final event, the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

RICHMOND, Va. – Bernhard Langer matched the course record with a 9-under 63 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the first event in the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs.

Seeking an unprecedented fifth Schwab Cup and fourth in a row, the 60-year-old Langer leads the season standings and has a tour-high five victories this season.

“I’m playing nicely,” Langer said. “It’s a lot of fun. Hitting a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, giving myself opportunities and today was pretty special.”

Langer had nine birdies in his second straight bogey-free round to reach 14-under 130 on The Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course.

Fellow Hall of Famer Vijay Singh was second after a 63 of his own.

“I just have to continue to play great golf,” Langer said. “I know he’s (Singh’s) a great champion. He’s won lots of tournaments and majors, so he’s a tough competitor and he’s going to try and close the gap. I’m going to have to put the pedal down and keep making birdies.”

The 54-year-old Singh teamed with Carlos Franco to win the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf in April for his lone senior title.

“I drove it well, hit my irons quite nice and putted nicely,” Singh said. “I got my putter going, and anytime you putt well when you have so many opportunities, you’re going to make a good score.”

Joe Durant (67) was 10 under, and Michael Allen (64) and Scott Verplank (66) were 9 under.

The event is the first of three in the playoffs. The playoff field will be cut to 54 for the PowerShares QQQ Championship next week in Thousand Oaks, California, and the top 36 will advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix.

RICHMOND, Va. – Bernhard Langer birdied the par-5 18th for a 5-under 67 and a share of the first-round lead Friday in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the first event in the PGA Tour Champions’ Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs.

Seeking an unprecedented fifth Schwab Cup and fourth in a row, the 60-year-old Langer leads the season standings and has a tour-high five victories this season.

“Played really good,” Langer said after his bogey-free round. “I hit every fairway, hit 17 greens in regulation. That means I had 17 chances for birdie, and the one I missed I made par out of the bunker. So that was about as bad as I could have scored, basically. Didn’t make many putts.”

Rocco Mediate, David Toms and Joe Durant matched Langer atop the leaderboard at The Country Club of Virginia’s James River Course. Jay Don Blake, Olin Browne and Glen Day were a stroke back.

Mediate had four birdies on the back nine in a bogey-free round.

“It’s a nice start for me, period,” Mediate said. “I haven’t been around much. It was a solid, solid day. Putted nice, drove nice. You have to do it around here, it’s a good golf course.

Toms and Durant also were bogey-free.

“I like the golf course,” Toms said. “I played solid yesterday in the pro-am. Went out there early in the round, I hit a couple wayward drives and got in the rough. It’s tough to play out of the rough. But I recovered well and then started to find the swing with the driver and I set myself up to have a lot of birdie opportunities the rest of the round.”

The event is the first of three in the playoffs. The playoff field will be cut to 54 for the PowerShares QQQ Championship next week in Thousand Oaks, California, and the top 36 will advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix.

“Hoping to continue my good play and my good form and give myself opportunities,” Langer said. “Hopefully, get up in front and win the championship. But it’s a long ways to go. We’re only one-third of the way there.”

Defending champion Scott McCarron, playing alongside Langer, opened with a 72. He bogeyed the 18th after being penalized a stroke for accidentally moving his ball before he played his third shot.

McCarron has four victories this year and is second in the season standings.

John Daly withdrew after nine holes because of a right knee injury. He’s 22nd in the Schwab Cup standings.

VICTORIA – Jerry Kelly avoided the late trouble that derailed Lee Janzen and David McKenzie to win the Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship on Sunday for his second PGA Tour Champions victory in four weeks.

Kelly closed with a 3-under 68 in chilly, rainy conditions for a one-stroke victory over Janzen on Bear Mountain’s Mountain Course. The three-time PGA Tour winner won the Boeing Classic outside Seattle last month for his first senior title.

“You always want that validation after you win the first one,” Kelly said. “And to get it so soon, again, very surprised, but I’m just going to keep working hard.”

Janzen also shot 68, but dropped three late strokes to give away the lead. After making three birdies in a row, he bogeyed the par-4 15th and made a double bogey on the par-4 17th. On 17, the two-time U.S. Open champion drove into a bush, chipped back to the fairway and three-putted after his ball ran to the back of the green.

“Where that pin was, it’s so difficult to get it near the hole and I just made a huge error by hitting on the wrong line,” Janzen said. “Unfortunately, I just didn’t know any better. … It would have saved myself one shot, maybe two, and that’s the difference.”

The 50-year-old Kelly rebounded from a bogey on the par-5 13th with a birdie on the 15th – making the putt after being stung by a bee – and finished with three straight pars.

“It was really thinking your way around and I made a couple good saves and a couple good birdies at the end,” Kelly said. “It was more of a survival day.”

Kelly finished at 14-under 199. He began the round a stroke behind leaders McKenzie and Jerry Smith.

“The funny thing is I switched irons and won in Seattle and played well the week after in Calgary, and it’s just continued on here,” Kelly said. “Some of those changes, things click and next thing you know you’re playing with confidence and get some wins.”

Janzen missed a chance for his second senior title after winning eight times on the PGA Tour.

“When I look back at a tournament, I’m more concerned with my mental preparation and execution and where I went wrong,” Janzen said. “My psyche’s not damaged over that. Stupid things happen on the golf course all the time. It’s not the first time I’ve hit a bad shot with a chance to win a tournament, so I’m not worried. I’m getting to go to Pebble Beach, one of my favourite places in the world, and I’m really encouraged because my game stunk a week ago.”

McKenzie, the Australian trying to become the first qualifier to win since 2012, dropped back with double bogeys on the par-3 14th and the 17th. He birdied the par-5 18th for a 71 that left him tied for third at 12 under with Tommy Armour III (67).

Charles Schwab Cup points leader Bernhard Langer (68) and Esteban Toledo (67) followed at 11 under.

Smith had a 75 to finish six strokes back.

VICTORIA – David McKenzie birdied the final six even-numbered holes for a 7-under 64 and a share of the lead with Jerry Smith on Saturday in the PGA Tour Champions’ Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship.

McKenzie, the 50-year-old Australian who Tuesday qualified to get in the field, began the unique run on the par-4 eighth and added birdies on Nos. 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 to match Smith at 12-under 130 on Bear Mountain’s Mountain Course.

“I’m just trying to stand upright and play golf,” McKenzie said. “If I play well, it’s good. If I play bad, I’m unhappy, but it’s not the end of the world. That’s probably been the biggest thing.”

Making his third senior start after turning 50 on July 26, McKenzie is trying to become the first qualifier to win since Willie Wood in the 2012 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

“It would be nice, but my thoughts at the moment are just to keep playing,” McKenzie said. “I’ve got a qualifier on Tuesday if I don’t win or don’t finish in the top 10 here, so I’ll plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

McKenzie tied for second last month in the regular European Tour’s Fiji International.

Smith, tied for the first-round lead with Steve Flesch, followed his opening 64 with a 66. Smith opened with an eagle on the par-5 first.

“If you hit good shots out there, you get rewarded and you get opportunities to make birdies,” Smith said. “If you don’t, you’re really having to work to save pars.”

He won the 2015 Encompass Championship for his lone tour title.

“I’m glad to be where I am,” Smith said. “Last group is always good. I’ve been there a few times this year. I’ve had one good Sunday, one not so good, so maybe third time’s a charm. It’ll be tough, it’s going to be a battle out there.”

Jerry Kelly was a stroke back after a 66. Kelly won the Boeing Classic three weeks ago outside Seattle for his first tour victory.

Lee Janzen was 10 under after a 64, and Doug Garwood was another shot behind after a 67.

Flesch had a 70 to drop into a tie for sixth at 8 under.

Charles Schwab Cup points leader Bernhard Langer also was 8 under after a 69. Coming off a two-week break, the 60-year-old German star won three of the tour’s five majors and is tied with Scott McCarron for tour victory lead with four.

John Daly, a stroke back after an opening 65, had two triple bogeys in a 79 to tumble into a tie for 60th at 2 over.

McCarron was 6 under after a 65. He lost a playoff to Colin Montgomerie last year at Bear Mountain, and tied for second last week in Japan after winning three of the previous six events.

Montgomerie had a 68 to get to 4 under.

Nick Faldo was 1 under after a 68.

VICTORIA – Steve Flesch and Jerry Smith each shot 7-under 64 on Friday to share the first-round lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship.

Flesh is making his 12th senior start after turning 50 in late May.

“It’s kind of an awkward golf course off the tee, so you need to be decisive about what club you are going to hit and if you can hit it in the right places, you can make some birdies,” Flesch said. “You have to pay attention out there. There are some tough tee shots out there and some awkward greens, so you can’t put yourself in the wrong place.”

The four-time PGA Tour winner had four birdies in a five-hole stretch on Bear Mountain’s Mountain Course and capped the bogey-free round with a birdie on the par-5 18th.

“I hit a lot of good tee shots and set myself up for a lot of short irons,” Flesh said. “I didn’t make a lot of putts early one, but I got it going in the middle of the round and ran off a few. It surprised me how much the golf course has dried out just in the last few days.”

Smith also closed with a birdie and had six birdies in a seven-hole span before bogeying the par-3 14th. He has one senior title.

Charles Schwab Cup points leader Bernhard Langer was a stroke back along with John Daly, David Toms and Jerry Kelly. Coming off a two-week break, the 60-year-old Langer opened eagle-birdie-birdie.

“Pretty easy eagle on No. 1 after a 3-wood,” Langer said. “I pretty much stiffed it on the next two holes, so suddenly I was 4 under after three. I played pretty solid, although there were a couple of loose shots. Overall, it was pretty decent. I had a couple of chances coming in, but didn’t make any putts.”

The German star won three of the tour’s five majors and is tied with Scott McCarron for tour victory lead with four.

“The greens have really toughened up and are really firm and really fast,” Langer said. “We don’t get conditions like this very often, so you have to be aware of it. You have to be on your toes and know what greens are firm and what fairways are running out.”

Daly won the Insperity Invitational in May in Texas for his first senior title. The fan favourite eagled the par-5 12th.

“Over the years, Canada has been just a wonderful place to come and play,” Daly said. “I always feel the support of the fans. I always love the fans and love playing for them, but it’s a hell of a lot better when you are playing good, however.”

Kelly took the Boeing Classic three weeks ago outside Seattle for his first tour victory.

“I wasn’t very happy with the way I started the year, but since I won, I have started to play much better,” Kelly said. “Took a change of putters, a change of irons, a change of drivers, a change of shoes to play better. These courses are not pitch and putts. They are tough golf courses, period. You need to shoot low every single week. You need to make putts.”

Canadian Stephen Ames topped the group at 66.

Defending champion Colin Montgomerie opened with a 70. He won last week outside Tokyo in the 50-and-over tour’s first event in Japan.

McCarron had a 71. He lost a playoff to Montgomerie last year at Bear Mountain, and tied for second last week in Japan after winning three of the previous six events.

Nick Faldo shot 73.

CALGARY – Scott McCarron didn’t waste any time after missing a long putt for birdie on the final hole Sunday.

In front of a large gallery of fans at the Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club, McCarron walked right up and tapped in a short, but nerve-wracking putt, to win the 2017 Shaw Charity Classic title.

“It felt like 20 feet,” said McCarron, who held on for a one-shot victory over Miguel Angel Jimenez after shooting a 3-under 67 in the final round. “It was probably about three feet or so. It was kind of a right-centre putt. I didn’t take much time over it, because I saw it go right by and I knew exactly what I was going to do.

“I just missed a couple short ones before, so I didn’t want to even think about it too long. I set it up and made a good putt finally. It really felt good to get that done.”

McCarron had three birdies and two bogies on the front nine before draining a long putt from off the green at the par-5, 11th hole for eagle. It was the third eagle of the weekend for McCarron and the 17th of his season to lead the PGA Tour Champions circuit in that category.

McCarron then birdied the 15th hole before giving a shot back with a bogey on 16. He finished with two straight pars to end the three-day event at 16-under 194 to take home the winner’s share of $352,500 U.S.

It was the fourth PGA Tour Champions tournament victory of the season for the 52-year-old golfer from La Quinta, Calif., who earlier won titles at the Allanz Championship, the Constellation Senior Players Championship and the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

“Winning does not get easier,” stressed McCarron. “These guys are the best players in the world at their time and they’re still playing some great golf. I truly believe we’ve got 25 guys that can still play on the PGA Tour and compete.”

Jimenez had a chance to eagle the final hole, but he just missed his long putt and had to settle for a birdie and a round of 66 to finish in second spot by himself.

“I knew I had to hole the putt if I have any chance,” said Jimenez, while adding he wasn’t able to sink enough putts in the final round. “Scott is playing very well and holed very important putts for him and that’s the key.”

Scott Dunlap and Todd Hamilton both had rounds of 67 on Sunday to finish in a tie with first-round leader Kevin Sutherland at 13 under.

Sutherland followed up a birdie on the third hole with an eagle on the fourth to move into a tie with McCarron at 14 under before falling out of contention.

“Momentum is only as good as the next shot,” Hamilton said. “I just didn’t string together the shots today. I wasn’t able to have a lot of good birdie opportunities and I had a lot of trying to save pars most of the day.”

Although he had respectable rounds of 67 and 68 in the first two rounds, 2014 Shaw Charity Classic winner Fred Couples withdrew from the tournament on Sunday before his tee time due to ongoing back issues.

Vancouver’s Stephen Ames finished as the top Canadian in a tie for 19th spot with Kirk Triplett at 7 under after shooting a final round 68.

“I wasn’t hitting the ball great for the first two days, so I kind of did well with what I had,” Ames said. “Considering the fact I was 7 under, I think I’ll take it. I’m quite happy with the result.”

Rod Spittle, of Niagara Falls, Ont., shot his second straight round of 69 to finish the tournament in a seven-way tie for 25th at 5 under.

Victoria resident Jim Rutledge made four birdies and an eagle to get to 6 under before recording two bogies in his final four holes to shoot 66. He finished the tournament in a tie for 40th place with nine other golfers at 3 under.

CALGARY – Scott McCarron has had his way with the par-5, 18th hole at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club.

McCarron eagled the final hole of the par-70, 7,086-yard course for the second straight day to move atop the Shaw Charity Classic leaderboard on Saturday.

“I’m kind of expected to make some eagles out there and that’s a hole that sets up pretty well for me,” said McCarron, who leads the PGA Tour Champions circuit with 16 eagles so far this season. “Coming up 18, it’s just a lot of fun for us to have that grandstand with all the fans up there. I’ve been lucky enough to make two long putts. Hopefully I can do it again (on Sunday).”

McCarron also had five birdies to go with one bogey for a round of 6-under 64. Through two days of action at the three-day event, McCarron’s at 13-under par and has a two-stroke lead over first-round leader Kevin Sutherland and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

“There’s some really good players and I’m going to have to put the pedal down and make a bunch of birdies,” said McCarron when asked what it will take to win his fourth event this season.

Jimenez shot 65 to move into a tie for second at 11 under with Sutherland, who followed up the 62 he shot in the first round with a 67.

“I played very, very solid giving myself a chance for birdies,” said Jimenez, who needed just 28 putts on Saturday. “From the tee I didn’t play as good as (Friday), but the rest of the game was pretty good. If you are not in the fairways, it’s very difficult to hit the greens, but any time I hit the fairway, I gave myself a chance for birdie.”

Scott Dunlop and Todd Hamilton both had rounds of 66 on Saturday and are tied for fourth place overall at 10 under, just one shot ahead of Nick Faldo, Bob Estes and Jerry Kelly.

Faldo shot 64 to tie McCarron for the Saturday’s low round to move into contention, despite playing in only his fifth tournament of the year.

“I haven’t shot 64 in whatever ? a long time,” said the 60-year-old World Golf Hall of Fame member. “It was nice to feel that I could go for it. That was the goal for coming here and playing. I’ve been working on enough things that it’s just putting it to the test, so that was really great.”

McCarron counted Faldo among the group of golfers that he’ll have to fend off on Sunday.

“Then you’ve got Nick Faldo,” McCarron said. “I mean, what’s he doing? He’s supposed to be announcing somewhere, isn’t he?

“Here you’ve got a guy, one of the best players in the world during his time, hasn’t played hardly at all for years and comes out here and joins us. It’s a big boost for us to have Nick Faldo to come out and to come out and play well, I think that’s really impressive.”

Vancouver’s Stephen Ames is the top Canadian after carding a round of 66 to move him up the leaderboard and into a tie for 18th spot at 5 under with a group of six others, including 2014 Shaw Charity Classic champion Fred Couples.

“I played well, better than (Friday),” said Ames, who noted that he struggled with his ball striking during the first round. “I didn’t make as many putts as (Friday). That kind of goes with the game. It’s going very well.”

Rod Spittle of Niagara Falls, Ont., is just one shot back of Ames at 4 under after a 69. Although Victoria’s Jim Rutledge also carded a 1-under round of 69 on Saturday, he’s well back of the front runners heading into Sunday’s final round in a tie for 69th spot at 1 over.

INDEX: SPORTS

CALGARY – Kevin Sutherland made the most of an early start at the Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club on Friday.

Sutherland was in the second group out on the back nine of the par-70, 7,086-yard course and had birdies on his second and fifth holes before adding six more on the front nine for an 8-under 62.

His round held up as the best of the day, leaving him atop the leaderboard after the opening round of the Shaw Charity Classic.

“It was nice to get out early in the day,” said Sutherland, who birdied five of his final seven holes. “The weather was nice and cool, which was something that we haven’t had a lot lately, so it was nice to get a nice cool day out here.”

On his final hole, Sutherland had a chance to make another birdie to tie the course record of 61, but he just missed the putt to the low side of the hole.

“I had no idea,” said Sutherland. “If I would have known, I might have tried to hit it a little higher.”

Sutherland has finished second three times this season on the PGA Tour Champions circuit and also has 12 top-10 showings in 16 starts.

“I’ve been playing well all year,” he said. “I feel like my game’s in a really good place right now. I’m hitting a lot of really good, quality iron shots, which is giving me a lot of good opportunities.”

Rod Spittle of Niagara Falls, Ont., wasn’t surprised to hear that Sutherland continued his fine form on Friday.

“I’ve played a bunch with Kevin the last month or so,” said Spittle, who finished as the low Canadian after shooting a 3-under 67. “He’s playing really, really well. He’s a terrific player.”

Spittle finished Friday’s round in a tie for 23rd spot with nine other golfers including 2014 Shaw Charity Classic winner Fred Couples.

“The course is in such terrific condition,” Spittle said. “The greens are so smooth. That’s the reason for the low scores.

“It’ll be, I’m sure, a birdie-fest for the fans to watch for the next couple days, without a doubt.”

Scott McCarron received a nice round of applause after he eagled the par-5, 18th hole to shoot 63 and finish alone in second spot after the first of three days of competition.

“You make the eagle and it’s a nice reaction – almost feels like you’re winning a tournament or something like that and it’s only Friday,” McCarron said. “The 18th is just fantastic – great theatre.”

Miguel Angel Jimenez also eagled the 18th hole to finish in a four-way tie for third spot with Todd Hamilton, Billy Andrade and Scott Dunlop at 6-under 64.

Vancouver’s Stephen Ames had a 69 to finish in a tie for 45th with nine other golfers, including defending champion Carlos Franco.

Victoria’s Jim Rutledge finished well back of the pack with a 72.

Shaw communications is donating $500 for every birdie made on the 18th hole throughout the tournament to support the shaw charity classic’s 156 youth-based charities across the province. Today, 27 birdies were made on the par-5, 18th hole, bringing shaw’s birdies for charity total to $13,500.