Since Jack Nicklaus won his sixth green jacket at age 46, former Masters Tournament winners keep trying to roll the clock forward every spring.

Ray Floyd finished runner-up at age 47 and 49. Nicklaus gave it a good run himself by finishing tied for sixth at age 58.

There is another old-timer to watch at Augusta - Bernhard Langer . He nearly broke Nicklaus' record last April with a tie for fourth, and he'll keep trying until time finally catches up with the steady German.

"I feel a lot older than 47 right now," Langer said.

Langer played in 19 consecutive Mas- ters without missing the cut from 1984 through 2002. After a disappointing idle weekend in 2003, he came back stronger last year.

Already committed to being the 2004 Ryder Cup captain and unburdened by trying to play his way onto an 11th European team, Langer was enjoying one of his best seasons since he started playing full time in the United States in 2001.

With top-10 finishes at the Bob Hope and Doral events, he arrived at Augusta National Golf Club with the confidence expected of a two-time Masters champion.

Early on Easter Sunday morning, Langer briefly shared a place atop the leaderboard at Augusta. He entered Amen Corner tied with Phil Mickelson and only a shot behind Ernie Els .

But Langer couldn't summon the same magic on the back nine as Nicklaus did in 1986. After a birdie at No. 14, Langer's 4-iron second shot from the pine straw briefly hit on the 15th green before trickling back into the pond.

It led to double bogey and the end of his chances.

"When I play very well, I think I have a chance to win (at Augusta) even though guys are hitting it way past me," he said. "It takes more than length. Last year, I played quite well. It's just I can't afford to make a lot of mistakes. It's a little harder for me to make birdies."

Langer remains in good shape and active on the PGA Tour. He's part of a new generation of golfers whose competitive life span extends well beyond the para meters of Nicklaus' day.

"There's very few right now in the high 40s who can contend," said Langer, "but the guys are in better shape. Look at Vijay (Singh), who's 41 or 42. He's probably in better shape now than he was 10 years ago, but you're talking about a guy who didn't work out and now he works out. I've worked out all my life and I'm getting weak. I'm not getting stronger."

Even so, Langer is one of those special past champions capable of getting in the hunt on a course he's known so well in 22 Masters.

"We have a lot of experience. We know where to go and where not to go, certain pin positions, what happens," he said. "They've changed a number of things lately that your experience almost goes against you. You think you remember it doing that and now it's doing something else. It's almost confusing in some areas."

Is another charge at breaking Nicklaus' standard as the oldest Masters winner out of the question?

"I need to putt better and right now I don't feel like I can make all of those putts you need to make," Langer said, before setting the disclaimer. "If I play my game with very little mistakes, if I play well, I still feel like I can win. Sure."

Even without a third green jacket, Langer's 2004 season ranks as high as his Augusta triumphs in 1985 and '93. Captaining the European team to its most dominant victory in the history of the Ryder Cup was a crowning experience for the 10-time participant in the matches.

"It's way up there," he said. "It's different. It's something that I didn't achieve on my own, a team thing. But experience-wise it was every bit as much fun as everything I've done alone."

Langer considered being captain again, but he left the reins for two other Masters winners to take - Ian Woosnam in 2006 and Nick Faldo in 2008. However, Langer hasn't ruled out playing on an 11th team at age 48, though the odds are stacked against him because he plays most of his golf in the United States.

"I'm facing some tough competition, and I'm facing a lot of guys who play more than I do," he said.

Even so, Langer has no plans to retire.

"As long as I am healthy, because if you're not you can't play anyway, and as I have fun playing golf and you need some success," he said. "They all intermingle. As long as these three components are there, I'll probably keep playing. When one or two of them are missing, it's time to stop."

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.

Follow-up feat
Bernhard Langer is the last player to win the Masters and the MCI Heritage in back-to-back weeks. He did it in 1985.