Golf-Langer was my inspiration, says Players leader Cejka

By Simon Evans

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida, May 8 (Reuters) - Alex Cejka, who idolised fellow German Bernhard Langer as a youngster, showed he may have what it takes to win a big event when he took the second round lead at the Players Championship on Friday.

The 38-year-old Cejka has yet to win on the PGA Tour and although he has picked up four victories on the European circuit, the last was back in 2002.

It is a much more modest record than the one belonging to 1985 and 1993 U.S. Masters champion Langer.

"When I was 14, 15, it was the Langer boom," Cejka told reporters after firing a five-under-par 67 for an 11-under tally of 133 at the event unofficially dubbed the 'fifth major'. "In Europe he won three, four, five tournaments every year.

"He came to play the German Open in Frankfurt every year back in the mid-80s. I skipped school and watched him even in the pro-ams and he was my inspiration.

"He was the only German who won a major so I watched him wherever I could," said Cejka.

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