The 68-year followed his spectacular opening-day 62 with a solid five-under-par round of 67 to reach -15 and establish a healthy lead over the chasing pack headed by Michael Jonzon, who is four back after a sparkling 65.
Langer’s 1993 Ryder Cup team-mate, Peter Baker, is one further back at -10 after a superb 64. The leading trio will battle it out together on Sunday the title.
“I’m very pleased with my position,” said two-time Masters champion Langer, who has dropped just one shot over his first 36 holes. “If you’d told me I’d be 15-under for two round I would have taken it with a big smile on my face. So I’m very happy and had another great round today. You’ve really got to keep the ball in play – hitting good drives and greens is the key. And when it’s windy, it’s that much harder.
“It’s sometimes hard [to follow up a great round] because you expect to keep going like you did yesterday. And it doesn’t always happen like that. I didn’t make all the putts I made yesterday and it’s easy to get a little bit frustrated but there was no reason to – it’s still a great score. On Sunday I’m going to be playing my own game. The two nearest competitors will be playing with me so I have the best view of what’s going to happen. If I shoot a few under par, it’s going to be difficult for anybody to catch me.”
Sweden’s Jonzon is the German’s closest challenger after making an eagle two on the par-four 16th en route to a 65, one ahead of Baker. Already a winner on the Legends Tour this season, after claiming victory in Greece at the Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy, Englishman Baker will begin the final round five back and is relishing the opportunity to play alongside the inspirational figure of Langer.
“Obviously I was eight behind after day one and you can’t give Bernard that sort of start,” said Baker, who sits third in the Order of Merit list he won in 2023. “The aim today was to go out today and have a good round, try and get in the last group with him. It’s going to be a pleasure to play with Bernard, I’m really looking forward to it.
“He’s just fantastic. To shoot 10-under [in round one] is obviously exceptional. But he’s been an exceptional player for a long time, one of the great players we’ve had in Europe, if not the world. He keeps winning, keeps playing. I played really well today, gave myself a lot of chances and it was nice to finish with three birdies. I hit it really close all day, gave myself lots of chances. Tomorrow I just try to play like I did today and see what happens.”
Matthew Cort is fourth at -9 after a bogey at the last marred an otherwise good day, while compatriot Simon Griffiths, who won the first event of the season at the Staysure Marbella Legends, is at -8, one ahead of Sweden’s Patrik Sjoland.
