Langer is all-time top senior thanks to Royal Porthcawl triumph

The German, victorious at the event in 2010 and 2014, was previously tied with South Africa’s Gary Player on nine senior major victories, and he moved into double figures with a three-stroke victory over 2010 USA Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin.

With his second victory at Royal Porthcawl, Langer joins Player and Tom Watson as the only three-time winners of the Senior Claret Jug.

Although his margin of victory was not as spectacular as the 13 stroke by which he won in 2014, Langer’s success is still impressive as he started the week with laryngitis and battled treacherous weather conditions on the Welsh links.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to have won here again,” said Langer. “I hit my first tee shot straight into a gorse bush on the left and it was unplayable so, looking back, it ended a lot better than it started.”

Lindrick’s John King, who had birdied his final hole on Friday for a 78 to qualify for the weekend on the cut mark, matched his opening 77 on Saturday and had an excellent one-over-par 72 yesterday.

He had recovered on Saturday from dropping shots at his first four holes by shedding just two more in difficult conditions.

Yesterday he was out in level par, having followed a bogey at three with a birdie at five, and parred the remaining 13 holes save for the 17th, where he had a bogey.