Kim was at 4-under 140 and will get another round with Boo Weekley, who shot 71 and was at 141. Weekley brought some levity on an otherwise grim day at No. 8, when they stooped to inspect a turtle. Kim was lightly touching the shell when Weekley screamed out, making Kim nearly jump out of his shoes.

“I think that’s why we probably both missed those 5-footers on that hole,” Kim said.

Otherwise, it was a grind.

Rich Beem was only five shots out of the lead with four holes when he took double bogey on the 15th from the trees, hit into the water on the par-5 16th and made bogey, found the water on the island-green 17th for double bogey, then pumped two tee shots into the water on the 18th to finish with a quadruple bogey. He wound up with an 80 and missed the cut by five shots.

Padraig Harrington bogeyed six of his final seven holes for a 78 and also left early. The cut was at 3-over 147.

The biggest surprise was Langer, who first played The Players Championship in 1984 when Garcia was barely out of diapers and Kim was not born.

He fired a 3-wood into 8 feet for eagle on No. 2, followed that up with birdies on the fourth and fifth holes, took the outright lead with a 15-foot birdie on the eighth and was poised to shoot 30 on the front until dumping a wedge into the bunker left of the green on the par-5 ninth, making bogey for the second straight day.

“I felt like throwing up,” Langer said. “When you make 6 on a hole when you’re 80 yards away, feels worse than when you’re playing bad. I had a long walk from there to (No.) 10 and had a little bit of a talk.”

But he got one of the loudest roars on the scariest hole. His tee shot barely cleared the wooden planks guarding the 17th green, and from there he used his long-handle putter to roll in a 60-foot birdie.

When it all ended, 15 players remained under par, a group that included Fred Couples at 2-under 142, with defending champion Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els at 143.

“Basically, right now we’re still just pace cars,” Goydos said. “We’re going to wait and see what happens on the weekend when the racing starts. But it’s a good place to start the weekend off.

“If nothing else, you get to sleep in.”

Considering the age of some of these guys, they could probably use it.

MORE FROM GOLF

Golf Section Front

Hometown player surprise AT&T National leader Howell, Love among first PGA players drug tested Lefty must face the music as favorite Celizic: No time for Tiger to be the hero Notes: Antiquated rule hurts golfer's card hopes Fisher shoots 63 to lead European Open Sindelar - 50 and loving his new golf life Latest golf videos Special section: Golf on NBC Tracking Tiger: News, more on No. 1 golfer Golf Section Front   Add Golf headlines to your news reader: