Bernhard Langer leads US Senior Open by 4

LAKE ORION, Mich. — Fred Couples joked that someone will have to close with a 60 to catch Bernhard Langer at the U.S. Senior Open.

That might not be low enough.

Langer shot a 6-under 64 on Saturday to move to 10 under for the tournament, putting him ahead of a big-name field by four strokes.

“That’s not a huge lead,” he insisted. “That can disappear in no time. I’m going to have to get out there and shoot under par. That’s my goal.

“If I go 2 under or 3 under, it will be very difficult for anyone to catch me. And if they do, they deserve to win.”

The two-time Masters champion opened with three straight birdies and eight in 12 holes at Indianwood, a course with tight and unforgiving fairways and undulating greens.

“He didn’t win two Masters by luck,” said Corey Pavin, who was in a five-way tie for second place. “He’s an exceptionally good player, very methodical.”

Langer didn’t miss a green in regulation during the third round until the par-3 No. 13, where a double bogey cut his cushion to three shots. He bounced back with a birdie at 15 before giving that stroke back with a bogey at 18.

Pavin, Tom Lehman, Roger Chapman, John Huston and Tom Pernice Jr. were at 6-under 204.

Mickelson lurking
at Scottish Open

INVERNESS, Scotland — Phil Mickelson broke out of his slump with an 8-under 64 at the Scottish Open, leaving him five shots off the second-round lead shared by Alexander Noren and Francesco Molinari.

Noren used another round of 66 to move to 12 under alongside Molinari, who couldn’t match his blistering 62 on Thursday but managed a 70.

Matteson leads
John Deere Classic

SILVIS, Ill. — Troy Matteson shot a 3-under-par 68 for a one-stroke lead over Jeff Maggert and Brian Harman after two rounds of the John Deere Classic.

Matteson was at 13-under 129. Maggert’s bogey-free round of 9-under 62 moved him from 39th place after the first round to a tie for second.