DES MOINES, Iowa -- Bernhard Langer returned for a three-week break to shoot an 8-under 64 and take the first-round lead Friday in the PGA Tour Champions' Principal Charity Classic.
Langer closed the bogey-free round with a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th at Wakonda Club. The 60-year-old German star took the brief break in part to attend his son's high school graduation.
"I think I have a pretty good idea now how to play the golf course," Langer said. "When I had to get up and down I got most of them up and down, and just bogey-free is always fun."
Glen Day and Woody Austin were a stroke back, and defending champion Brandt Jobe was at 66 with Jerry Kelly, Tom Lehman and Doug Garwood.
Day opened 66-67 last year at Wakonda, then faded with a 76.
"That was real easy. I had about three Coors Lights, we got in the car, drove home. It was no big deal," said Day about moving past his finish in 2017. "That's long gone."
On Friday, he had four birdies in a six-hole stretch on his final nine.
Austin, in search of his fourth senior win, shot a 31 on the front nine.
Jobe struggled so much during the pro-am Thursday that he spent an extra two hours hitting balls in an effort to correct his swing.
"It was worth it. I needed to," Jobe said.
Mark Calcavecchia, the 2016 winner, withdrew after two holes for what tour spokesman Chris Richards said were family reasons.
