THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Bernhard Langer birdied the final six holes for a share of the lead with Bart Bryant on Friday in the Champions Tours Insperity Invitational.
[b]Corey Seager Jersey[/b] . Langer matched Bryant at 6-under 66 at The Woodlands Country Club. Langer won the 2007 event at Augusta Pines and successfully defended his title in 2008 at The Woodlands. The 56-year-old German player won the season-opening event in Hawaii for his 19th Champions Tour title and has 20 straight under-par rounds. The birdie streak tied Dan Forsmans 2009 tournament record. "You want to keep going," Langer said. "I was sad the day was over. I wouldve liked to try a few more holes to make a few more birdies." Bryant won the Dicks Sporting Goods Open last year for his lone victory on the 50-and-over tour. He rebounded from a bogey on the par-5 13th with three straight birdies. "I felt like it was a real anomaly, but then to hit a really good iron shot and salvage the bogey was pretty big," he said. "That kept my spirits up." Defending champion Esteban Toledo was a stroke back. Last year, he became the first Mexican winner in Champions Tour history, beating Mike Goodes with a par on the third hole of a playoff. "I just have to get used to the position where Im at," Toledo said. "Im not scared. Ive played on the tour against Tiger in front of 50,000 people. Maybe more than that. Im not afraid to lose. I might lose but Im not afraid." Toledo, who moved to The Woodlands after last years tournament, said he is still in a whirlwind from that win. "To be honest with you, I cant believe I see my pictures on those little badges," he said. "Its funny to me. Ive never seen anything like that. It kind of got me going." Woodlands resident Jeff Maggert, Fred Funk and Joe Daley shot 68. Maggert won in Mississippi in March in his first start on the 50-and-over tour. Funk won the 2012 event and the 1992 Houston Open on the course. Fred Couples, the 2010 winner and a former University of Houston player, had a 69. He won in March in Newport Beach, Calif.
[b]Max Muncy Jersey[/b] . Bobrovsky posted a 2-0-1 record with a 1.58 goals-against average and .950 save percentage to help the Blue Jackets (35-26-6) gain five of a possible six points last week. He capped the week by making 32 saves and stopping 2-of-4 shootout attempts in a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.
[b]Clayton Kershaw Jersey[/b] . The league-leading New York Rangers outhit and outmuscled the Maple Leafs during a 3-0 victory on Saturday. Backup goalie Martin Biron stopped all 20 shots he faced to complete a nice workmanlike effort by the visitors.VANCOUVER -- Its only the second week of the CFL season but already there is a sense of urgency among the B.C. Lions. The B.C. offence sputtered and the defence showed little sinew in losing last weeks season-opening game 44-32 to the Calgary Stampeders. Its a performance the Lions dont want to repeat when they host the defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts Thursday night at B.C. Place Stadium. You can watch the game on TSN and TSN Mobile TV and listen on TSN Radio 1050 beginning at 10pm et/7pm pt. "We dont want to be the team we were last week," quarterback Travis Lulay said Wednesday after the Lions held a light workout. "You want to get better quick." Hard-hitting linebacker Adam Bighill said the Lions have something to prove. "We have a sense of urgency," said Bighill. "We want to come out here and prove we are a lot better than we showed. "I think its great we faced adversity Week One because it sets us on the right path for the rest of the season. Its better now than to be doubting yourself in Week 15." Toronto opened the season with a nail-biting 39-34 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Argonauts have not won in Vancouver since 2002. When Argos coach Scott Milanovich looks at the Lions he sees a reflection of his own squad. "I look at them in a similar way I look at our team," said the 2012 coach of the year. "They have a great quarterback, they have a running back that can hit the home run, they are well coached. "They are just a good football team. I know they will be ready to play." The game also marks the return of Khalif Mitchell to Vancouver. The volatile defensive lineman spent three seasons with the Lions before being traded to the Argos over the winter. On the field the six-foot-five, 315-pound Mitchell is a dominating player who sometimes pushes the envelope with his physical play. Last season he was suspended for two games for hyper-extending the arm of Edmonton offensive lineman Simeon Rottier. Later he was fined and suspended again for making throat-slashing gestures. Off the field Mitchell can be eccentric in his views and unpredictable with his comments. He was suspended by the Lions for sending racially insensitive tweets. Mitchell initially was unhappy with being traded but has come to terms with the move. "Im at peace with myself," he told a group of reporters. "Coming out here, being able to play B.C., coming back regardless of all the stuff that may have happened before and the trade -- the tweet, the arm, all those things all combined -- just coming back and being able to settle down and have a clear conscious and be able to play. "There are no grudges, no hard feelings. I dont have any negative emotions. Ive just 100 per cent bought into whats going on with our team in Toronto and making sure we become the besst team we can be.
[b]Ross Stripling Jersey[/b]. " Mitchell will put extra pressure on a Lions offensive line that remains a work in progress. An injury to veteran Angus Reid has resulted in second-year player Matt Norman being moved to centre, a position he didnt play during his four years as an offensive lineman at the University of Western Ontario. At right guard is 22-year-old rookie Kirby Fabien, a first-round draft pick in 2012. Left guard Patrick Kabongo faced Mitchell in practise last season and knows what to expect come game time. "Khalif is a good player, hes a dominant player," said Kabongo. "We are going to block him the best we can." Head coach Mike Benevides said the Lions have not made any special preparations to deal with Mitchell. "He is one of those things from a preparation point of view, our offence has got to be alert of where hes at and the kind of things they do from a defensive perspective," said the second-year head coach. "We have to be prepared that way but I havent made mention of it. They know him well and hes a friend of many. We know what kind of person he is. Its not something to really think or talk about much. Im sure he will be excited to see us and we will be excited to see him." One of the keys to a Lions victory will be getting more use from running back Andrew Harris, who had just five carries for 20 yards last week. "We need to establish a little better running game and first-down production," said Lulay. "Too many times (against Calgary) we were in second-and-13, second-and-15. "Thats tough when you play a good defence. Its tough to sustain drives." Canadian wide receiver Shawn Gore, who was limping at practice this week, will play. Veteran kicker Paul McCallum, who missed last weeks game with a groin injury, will be a game-time decision. If McCallum cant play Hugh ONeill will handle both the punting and placekicking. B.C. defensive tackle Keron Williams said a win over Toronto will help erase last weeks frustration. "In our eyes its definitely a must-win," said Williams. "Last week our mind set was nowhere near where it needed to be. "We have a sense of urgency. We have pride. We know whats at stake." The Lions started the 2011 season losing their first five games and were 1-6 but the team regrouped and went on to win the Grey Cup. Veteran offensive tackle Ben Archibald wants to detour around that rough road. "As teammates we said we dont want to do that again," said Archibald. "We ended up where we wanted to be, but it wasnt worth it. "That was an awful six weeks of our lives. It was nasty. We dont want to get to that point when theres no need to. We feel like this is a game we want to win. We want to prove to the country who we are. Last week wasnt a true indication of that." ' ' '
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