Bernhard Langer is about to play his final Masters tournament at Augusta, and honestly, it’s hitting him hard. He’s won this tournament twice, but now at 67 years old, walking those famous fairways for the last time feels really emotional.
Langer didn’t grow up dreaming about Augusta the way many young golfers do today. Back in the 1960s, in his small German village, he barely even knew the Masters existed. “We didn’t have a TV until I was 12, and even then, only three channels,” he said. So, watching the Masters wasn’t really a thing for him. He first heard about the tournament from a golf magazine when he worked as a caddie. From there, he taught himself to play golf and, well, the rest is history. It’s pretty wild to think he went from a small village kid to a two-time Masters champ.
The Ups and Downs of His Amazing Career
Langer’s story isn’t just about winning, though. His career had some tough patches too. He won the Masters first in 1985, on just his third try, then again in 1993. Plus, he’s racked up 12 senior major wins, which is crazy impressive. But he also struggled with the “yips” — those weird muscle spasms that make putting almost impossible.
At one point, back in 1989, he was so frustrated that after a round full of missed putts, he even prayed if he should quit golf altogether. But a friend told him to keep going, and thank goodness he did because he went on to win more. Langer says golf keeps you humble, sharing a funny moment where a perfect shot hit a twig and went way off course — and he ended up with a seven on that hole. “That’s golf for you,” he said. “You can only control what you can.”
More Than Just a Serious Golfer
If you’ve ever seen Langer play, you know he’s usually pretty calm and serious. But he’s got a fun side too. When he hosted the Champions Dinner after winning in 1985, he brought some German flavor by serving traditional dishes like wiener schnitzel and Black Forest cake. That made things more interesting and inspired others to bring their own culture to the dinner — like Sandy Lyle with his kilt and haggis.
And here’s a fun fact: Langer jokes that he wore a red shirt before Tiger Woods made it famous. “I always tease Tiger — I wore red first!” he laughs.
Saying Goodbye to Augusta
These days, Augusta’s course is longer and tougher than ever — over 7,500 yards now. Langer admits keeping up is harder, especially after missing last year’s tournament because of a torn Achilles tendon he got playing pickleball. Coming back this year feels special, but he knows the real challenge is holding back the tears.
He’s seen others get emotional when saying goodbye — like Larry Mize, who couldn’t finish his farewell speech. Langer gets it. This place means a lot to those who’ve been part of it.
His family will be there with him, and he’s especially expecting to feel the emotions around Amen Corner, especially the 13th hole, where he made eagles in both his Masters wins. He hopes to stay strong through the last hole but admits, “there’s no promise I won’t cry.”
And honestly, if he does cry, that’s okay. Langer says he’s always been emotional — just quieter about it. He’s not ashamed and feels this moment is definitely worth the tears.
