TOSHIBA CLASSIC:

NEWPORT BEACH — On the Champions Tour, Mark O’Meara and Bernhard Langer seem to have nothing in common.

On one hand, you have Langer, the hot man on the tour, the reigning Player of the Year, the Toshiba Classic defending champion who has won five times since joining the 50-year-old-and-over tour in 2007.

O’Meara has yet to win on the Champions Tour since joining two years ago. Sure he had four runner-up finishes in his first year, but ’08 was a year to forget. He had just two top-10 finishes in 16 starts last year. He hasn’t been tied for the lead after two rounds since 2007 at the 2007 AT&T; Championship. He hasn’t won since 2004 at the Dubai Desert Classic.

Yet when it comes to the Toshiba Classic, there is one thing O’Meara and Langer share: the lead.

O’Meara shot a five-under-par 66, which equaled the low for Saturday, to stand with Langer as the leaders at nine-under heading into today’s final round at Newport Beach Country Club.

Eduardo Romero, who is from Argentina and had three wins last year on the Champions Tour, is one shot back and will tee off with Langer and O’Meara today at 12:25 p.m. Denis Watson is at seven-under, while part-time Corona del Mar resident John Cook is three shots behind the leaders, tied with Tom Jenkins and Fred Funk.

Langer will have to contend against them all in his quest to become Toshiba’s first repeat winner. That’s not the only aspect that makes him different than O’Meara.

You won’t mistake Langer for a beach boy here.

O’Meara?

He grew up in Mission Viejo and has strong ties to Orange County. The Long Beach product, who played for Mission Viejo High — the Diablos sometimes played at Newport Beach Country Club — built his game in the area. Not too far from the golf course he won the Costa Mesa City Championship back in 1979.

His son, Shaun, plays for the UC Irvine men’s golf team.

At the Toshiba Classic, O’Meara has his father-in-law watching him, as well as other friends who know him from his Orange County days.

Winning here would be meaningful for O’Meara. He’s said that after both rounds.

“It has been a while since I won, obviously,” said O’Meara, the 1998 Masters champion. “I mean, ’04 in Dubai was the last time I won. I did win the Par-three contest in Augusta two years ago, but we won’t go there. So it has been a while.

“But, listen, my career I mean, I’ve been very blessed and I’ve had a great ride. But I feel like I’m in better shape right now than I’ve been in a while physically. I want it. I want to play well.”

He has been playing well thus far. O’Meara carded a 67 Friday. He credited his rise to a change in equipment and an intense focus on his fitness.

He said with the help of Larry Bobka, he discovered three new clubs to use after testing in Carlsbad Tuesday. With a new driver, three-wood and rescue club in his bag, he has seen the difference at Newport Beach Country Club.

Langer, on the other hand, still remains disappointed with his putting. He had five birdies, but two bogeys.

O’Meara eagled No. 3 and also had three birdies in his second-round 66, that was matched by Mark Wiebe.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at steve.virgen@latimes.com.