Week 23 Approach Shots: Administaff Small Business

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Bernhard Langer has a lot to play for this week. Langer, the 2008 Champions Tour Player of the Year, is in the thick of that battle again. He also finds himself in third in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, 460 points behind leader Loren Roberts. History would suggest that Langer has a good chance to improve his resume this week at the Administaff Small Business Classic, where he goes for his third consecutive Houston-area title. Langer first won the Administaff Small Business Classic in 2007 at Augusta Pines Golf Course. He successfully defended his title a year ago at The Woodlands Country Club's Tournament Course.

Quick facts

WHAT: 23rd of 25 official Charles Schwab Cup events WHEN: Oct. 16-18 WHERE: The Woodlands, Texas COURSE: The Woodlands Country Club ROUND 1 TV: GOLF, Fri., 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET ROUND 2 TV: GOLF, Sat., 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET ROUND 3 TV: GOLF, Sun., 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET KEY LINKS: Scores | Champions Tour Insider | Tournament site

THREE-PEATERS: Bernhard Langer goes for a rare feat when he tees it up at this week's Administaff Small Business Classic. Langer will be trying to win the same event three consecutive years, something that's only happened five other times in the history of the Champions Tour. Earlier this year, at The Principal Charity Classic, Jay Haas tied for 17th in his bid for a third straight title in Iowa. The other back-to-back-to-back winners are Chi Chi Rodriguez (1986-88 Digital Seniors Classic), George Archer (1990-92 Northville Long Island Classic), Joe Inman (1998-2000 AT&T Champions Classic) and Hale Irwin (1996-98 Senior PGA Championship and 2000-2003 and 2005 Turtle Bay Championship). The Turtle Bay Championship was not contested in 2004.

HAAS ALSO GOES FOR THREE: Jay Haas will try to win his third consecutive start on the Champions Tour at the Administaff Small Business Classic. In Champions Tour history, seven different players have won three or more consecutive events. Ironically, Haas is the last player to do so, claiming the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, FedEx Kinko's Classic and Senior PGA Championship in succession in 2006. Haas broke through for his first title in 2009 at the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn and used a final-round 64 to overtake Tom Watson and win the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship. Prior to Bernhard Langer's successful defense last year, Haas had posted the highest finish by a defending champion at the Administaff event. He tied for fourth in 2007 a year after winning. Langer's win last season marked the first time he had successfully defended a title on the Champions Tour. He won the German Open three consecutive years on the European Tour (1984-86).

FIRST TIMERS: Tom Watson, Bob Tway, David Frost, Blaine McCallister, Olin Browne and Russ Cochran are the six players making their first appearances at the Administaff Small Business Classic. This will be Watson's first trip to Houston since he finished third at the 1986 Shell Houston Open, two strokes out of a playoff with Curtis Strange, the eventual winner, and Calvin Peete. Tway's best finish at the Shell Houston Open was a tie for 51st in 2002. Frost tied for second at the 1985 Shell Houston Open, one stroke behind Raymond Floyd. McCallister's best performance in the Shell Houston Open was a tie for third, in 1993. Browne played in 11 Shell Houston Opens and tied for 17th in the 1998 event. Cochran tied for fourth at the 1985 Houston Open.

FAIRWAYS AND GREENS: Scott Simpson has a shot at a rare double. Simpson currently leads the Tour in Driving Accuracy and is sixth in Greens in Regulation. No one has ever led both categories in the same season. In fact, no one who has ever won a Driving Accuracy title has ever won a Greens in Regulation title.

SCHWAB CUP UPDATE: There's a real good race for the Charles Schwab Cup this year with Loren Roberts currently leading Fred Funk by only 165 points and Bernhard Langer by 486. All three are in the field this week.

Weather forecast for the Administaff Small Business Classic

FRIDAY, Rd. 1 SATURDAY, Rd. 2 SUNDAY, Rd. 3 Thunderstorms Temp: 78 high/60 low Partly cloudy Temp: 73 high/57 low Partly cloudy Temp: 69 high/51 low

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Administaff Small Business Classic snippets

Tour milestone: This weeks Administaff Small Business Classic outside Houston will be the 900th event in Champions Tour history. The Tour was founded in 1980, and Hale Irwin is the career earnings leader in Tour history with more than $25 million. Strange's comeback: Curtis Strange, a winner of 17 PGA TOUR events including Houston Open titles in 1986 and 1988, will make his second appearance since mid-April. He underwent right-hip surgery and returned to action two weeks ago at the SAS Championship, where he tied for 68th near Raleigh. Celebrate good times: Three players will celebrate birthdays at the Administaff Small Business Classic this week. Bruce Fleisher turns 61 on Friday, Blaine McCallister celebrates his 51st birthday on Saturday and Denis Watson turns 54 on Sunday.