The German legend to bid the Masters a fond farewell
Bernhard Langer’s remarkable career has seen him win 47 tournaments on the PGA TOUR Champions, the most recent at the Charles Schwab Tour Championship in 2024, 42 times in Europe and in numerous events around the world, including two triumphs at the Australian Masters. However, his two most significant and memorable victories came at the US Masters in 1985 and 1993.
Now 67 years of age, Langer concedes the Augusta National course may now be better suited to the long hitting young stars of world golf and this year will be his last at the Masters tournament.
Inside Golf’s US correspondent Garrett Johnston caught up with Langer ahead of his 41st and final Masters appearance, to talk about his love for the Augusta National course, Australian courses and Australian players past and present, as well as his amazing success and longevity.
With victories all over the world, German Bernhard Langer has enjoyed a remarkable golfing career.
What is it that you do that allows you to keep playing at this level?
Well, it’s a lot of things. You have to be somewhat disciplined. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I get enough sleep, I exercise, have a great family, a good coach, great caddy. There’s a lot of pieces that need to be right. Certainly, a hard worker. I used to work extremely hard. I can’t do it anymore because my body can’t take it. I can’t beat balls for five to six hours a day. I love to compete and all those things matter. And I feel when I’m out there, I give it 100% every time, and I’ve learned to take some more time off. When I get home I just recuperate and play less and practice less when I’m home.
How much longer do you want to compete at this level?
I really don’t know. I’ve always said three things need to be in place. I need to be healthy, because if I’m not healthy, I can’t swing or move the club and do it the way I want to do it. I wouldn’t play well. Secondly, I’ve got to have some success, because if I don’t feel like I can win anymore, if I feel like I’m finishing last, you know, eight out of ten, then it’s definitely time to quit. That’s not me. So, whenever that time has come or will come, hopefully I will know it and make a decision. But right now, I still feel healthy enough to do it. I feel competitive to be out there. Even with my surgery in February (2024), I was out for a few months and then I still put myself in contention several times and I had opportunities to win at least two or three times. Then I won in Phoenix at the finish.
This is going to be your last Masters, how does that feel?
Yeah, that’s the plan. As soon as I missed it last year, I figured I’m going to try and play my next one, make that the last one. So, the plan is to be at Augusta in April and say goodbye as a competitor. But I will plan to be there for many, many more years to enjoy the tournament, to be a part of the Par 3 contest, the Champions Dinner on Tuesday night, and many other traditions to have.
How did you arrive at that decision to end it now?
Well, the last few years, I just felt the course was getting longer and longer. I mean, they have numerous holes now that are 520, 530. And it’s no fun hitting three woods, two hybrids, three hybrids into those greens that are really designed to be hit with an eight or seven iron, like the young guys do. And I had a conversation with Jack Nicklaus 10 years ago. I played a practice round with him and I said, “Jack, in your prime, what was the longest iron you ever hit into a par four as a second shot at Augusta?” And he didn’t take long, then he said, “you know, the longest may have been an eight-iron. It was mostly wedges, nine-irons and eight-irons.”
And that’s when you look at the green complexes, they’re pretty much designed for a short to medium iron, not to be coming in with a three-wood or two hybrid the way I am, off the sidehill or downhill lie half the time.
Langer will walk the Nelson Bridge on Amen Corner for the final time at a Masters tournament in 2025.
How do you describe the feeling of being on that property at Augusta?
Well, to me, it’s a very special place. It’s very personal. It’s the only major I’ve won. Two times of course. I’ve been playing there 40 years; this will be 41. It’s been a very long time. It’s a very unique place. The changes they have made over the years are phenomenal. When I first got there, it was fairways and pine needles. There was no rough cut. Then they planted 5,000 trees to make it tighter and make it harder. And then they made every hole pretty much longer, except a couple of them. It’s very unique and very special.
What do you look forward to sentimentally about that week and the things you’ll go through?
It will be very difficult. It will be very emotional for me to say goodbye to Augusta, to the US Masters as a competitor. And especially with all the family and friends I’m going to have there. All my family will be there, my kids, my grandkids. I’ll be teary-eyed coming up 18, and it’s going to be a tough one, emotional. But I’ve had my time, it’s time for the young guy. It’s a young man’s golf course, it’s not an old man’s golf course. As I said, it’s very long, very hilly. It’s even a hard walk. You know, when you walk 7600 yards on a very hilly course, and it takes five hours to play, it makes it a long day when you’re out there, two hours beforehand, or three to warm up.
You’d be the oldest person to make the cut if you do get it done in April at 67.
Well, it’s certainly a challenge, and it will be very difficult for the reason I just told you. I can’t get the ball near the hole with the longer clubs I’m hitting into the greens. I can’t even get the ball on the greens on certain holes because it will not stop. If I land a 3-wood or 2-hybrid in the middle of the green, it’s most likely going to run through if they’re firm. And some greens you have to fly the ball onto, you can’t bounce it or run it up. So it’s a challenge, a very tough challenge. But you know, it’s not totally out of reach, so I’ll be trying my best to hopefully make the cut and play four rounds instead of two.
You’ve played in Australia over your career, how have you enjoyed that?
It’s always been fun playing in Australia. Australia has some of the best golf courses in the world, especially near the city of Melbourne. They may have three or four of the best courses in the world, and similar in Sydney and other places. They’ve got lots of great champs too, as we know. I’ve been very fortunate to win in Australia.
What do you make of the current Aussies?
Well, I think Australia has always had amazing players, all the way back to Greg Norman. He started this new crop that came out in the 90s and 2000s and they keep producing great champions year after year. I’m playing on the Champions Tour and I think we have 13 Aussies. That may be the most represented country after America. And that’s incredible. There’s definitely a camaraderie between those guys because they have the same passport and represent the same flag. There’s a great crop of champions on the PGA Tour Champions right now. It’s impressive.
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