Perry takes charge at Sawgrass after Langer shines

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - Germany's Bernhard Langer rolled back the years with a vintage display while American Kenny Perry eked out a one-shot lead in the Players Championship second round on Friday.

Langer sank a monster birdie putt from 60 feet on the treacherous 17th green en route to a sparkling five-under-par 67, ending a gruelling day of gusting winds a stroke behind Perry, who returned 70.

Perry, seeking his 10th PGA Tour title but his first since the 2005 Colonial tournament, collected three birdies and a lone bogey for a six-under total of 138.

Overnight leader Sergio Garcia surrendered a one-shot cushion by double-bogeying the 17th and had to settle for a tie for second place with Langer and American Paul Goydos (71).

Spaniard Garcia, who hit 14 fairways out of 14 in a superb exhibition of driving, narrowly missed a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-four last to card a 73.

"I'm very proud of my round," Perry told reporters. "It was the kind of day where you could shoot a big number in a hurry. I was very patient and drove the ball well again.

"The secret to my round, I putted great," added the 47-year-old who needed only 24 putts. "I made a lot of nice four to eight-footers for par all day today."

With the wind gusting up to 50 kph late in the afternoon on the sun-baked Stadium Course, Perry could not recall a more difficult test in 19 previous appearances at the tournament.