THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Bernhard Langer birdied the final six holes for a share of the lead with Bart Bryant on Friday in the Champions Tours Insperity Invitational. Langer matched Bryant at 6-under 66 at The Woodlands Country Club. Langer won the 2007 event at Augusta Pines and successfully defended his title in 2008 at The Woodlands. The 56-year-old German player won the season-opening event in Hawaii for his 19th Champions Tour title and has 20 straight under-par rounds. The birdie streak tied Dan Forsmans 2009 tournament record. "You want to keep going," Langer said. "I was sad the day was over. I wouldve liked to try a few more holes to make a few more birdies." Bryant won the Dicks Sporting Goods Open last year for his lone victory on the 50-and-over tour. He rebounded from a bogey on the par-5 13th with three straight birdies. "I felt like it was a real anomaly, but then to hit a really good iron shot and salvage the bogey was pretty big," he said. "That kept my spirits up." Defending champion Esteban Toledo was a stroke back. Last year, he became the first Mexican winner in Champions Tour history, beating Mike Goodes with a par on the third hole of a playoff. "I just have to get used to the position where Im at," Toledo said. "Im not scared. Ive played on the tour against Tiger in front of 50,000 people. Maybe more than that. Im not afraid to lose. I might lose but Im not afraid." Toledo, who moved to The Woodlands after last years tournament, said he is still in a whirlwind from that win. "To be honest with you, I cant believe I see my pictures on those little badges," he said. "Its funny to me. Ive never seen anything like that. It kind of got me going." Woodlands resident Jeff Maggert, Fred Funk and Joe Daley shot 68. Maggert won in Mississippi in March in his first start on the 50-and-over tour. Funk won the 2012 event and the 1992 Houston Open on the course. Fred Couples, the 2010 winner and a former University of Houston player, had a 69. He won in March in Newport Beach, Calif. .J. - Pete Carroll is in support of the NFL looking further into whether medicinal marijuana could beneficial for players. . The 49ers announced the deal Thursday. San Francisco selected Kilgore in the fifth round of the 2011 draft out of Appalachian State. He has played in 33 regular-season games, plus all six playoff games the last two seasons. . Terms of the contract were not disclosed by the club. Clemons spent his first five NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2009 draft out of Clemson. . - Carter Verhaeghe scored the winner with 41 seconds to go as the Niagara IceDogs edged the North Bay Battalion 3-2 to even their first-round series at a game apiece in Ontario Hockey League playoff action on Sunday. . Now the Minnesota Vikings have set their sights on soccer.Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd has been fined $25,000 for public criticism of the officiating in the Eastern Conference first round series between the Nets and Toronto Raptors. Kidd made his comments during a conference call with the media on Thursday. Kidd said its "kind of mind-boggling" that Joe Johnson got so few foul calls in Wednesdays Game 5 loss to the Raptors. "If flopping is the way to go, then we have to maybe play that game," Kidd said. "But Joe is a strong individual and unfortunately, he doesnt flop. He plays and he doesnt complain. But thats why we haave officials, for them to make calls.dddddddddddd" Kidd also called out official Tom Washingtons non-call in the final seconds of Wednesdays game, when Shaun Livingston and DeRozan collided going for a rebound. No foul was called on the play. "I thought Shaun made a heck of a play to come up with the rebound and get fouled right in front of (referee) Tom Washington, but no call was made," Kidd said. "And Dray (Andray Blatche) came up with the ball and his intention was to get the ball to Deron (Williams), who was wide open, and it just didnt work out." ' ' '
|