Senior Open
Bernhard Langer was in inspired form at the Senior Open Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Bernhard Langer strolled to a record-breaking victory in the Senior Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl

Bernhard Langer strolled to a record-breaking victory in the Senior Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl.

The prolific German shot a final-round 67 to finish on 18-under-par, some 13 shots clear of Colin Montgomerie in second place. Unsurprisingly, he set a new Senior Tour record in the process.

Langer - who opened up with rounds of 65, 66 and 68 to lead by eight heading into the final round - once again recorded the best round of the day on Sunday.

He made birdies at 2 and 3, turned in 32 and birdied the last to put the finishing touches to a victory that - such was his dominance - was effectively secured after two rounds.

The 56-year-old - who also won the Senior Open at Carnoustie in 2010 - has now qualified for the 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews.

"This is very unusual," said Langer.

"This just doesn't happen, not with the competition you're facing, and certainly not in a major usually where the best from around the globe are playing the championship. It's been an amazing week for me."

Montgomerie, who has already registered two Senior major titles this season, carded a final-round 69 to finish three clear of Tom Pernice Jnr, Barry Lane and Rick Gibson.

Miguel Angel Jimenez recorded a top 10 in his first Senior Open following a final-round 68, as did the evergreen Tom Watson.

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x