‘It’s Very Emotional’ - Bernhard Langer Prepares For ‘Bittersweet’ Masters Swansong

In 1982, 25-year-old Bernhard Langer played in The Masters for the first time. Three years later, he finished ahead of Seve Ballesteros, Raymond Floyd and Curtis Strange to claim the Green Jacket and secure a lifetime exemption to the Augusta National Major.

Now, 43 years after his debut, the 67-year-old is preparing for his Masters swansong, a year on from his initial plan to leave the tournament behind, before an achilles injury ruled him out of the 2024 edition.

Days ahead of his final appearance, Langer, who won the title for the second time in 1993, spoke to reporters, where he reflected on his humble beginnings years before adding his name to the Augusta National history books.

He said: “Well, it's been an incredible journey, for a young man being born in a village of 800 people in an area where golf was nothing, to make it here, to get an invitation to play the Masters first time around when it was extremely difficult for a European or international players to get an invitation, and then to win the first Masters on the third go-around was just a dream come true. It's just incredible.”

Langer admitted that his presence at Augusta National for his final Masters appearance was already proving poignant. “It's very emotional,” he said. “You can tell already my voice is breaking a bit just realizing it's going to be my last competitive Masters. After four decades, it's going to be bittersweet.”

There’s nothing in the rules stating Langer needs to call it quits at this point in his life, although ever the competitor, he realizes that Augusta National is simply becoming too long for him to challenge.

He explained: “I think I knew it was time to call it quits as a player. I wanted to do it last year but I couldn't with my achilles surgery. The course is just getting too long and I'm getting shorter and shorter and I'm hitting hybrids where the other kids are hitting 9-irons and 8-irons, maybe even wedges. So I knew I wasn't going to be in contention anymore.”

“A few years back I asked the chairman of the club, ‘is there a time limit? Do we age out when we're 60? Or what is it?’ He said, ‘No, you will know when it's time to quit. It's totally up to you.’ It is time to quit. I'm just not competitive on this course anymore. We're playing, what, 7,500-plus yards, and I'm used to playing courses around 7,100. I can still compete there but not at this distance.”

Langer also admitted that, as he plays out his final holes on the famous fairways, be that on Friday or Sunday, he is prepared for his emotions to get the better of him.

“Well, if it doesn't hit me earlier on, it will definitely hit me on 18, I know that,” he said. “But one of my favorite places was always Amen Corner here. It's just a beautiful part of the golf course. The 13th hole, I've made eagle there on Saturday in '85 to get into contention and I made eagle on Sunday in '93 to win. So that's become one of my favorite holes, not just because I made eagles but just the beauty of the hole and what it demands from you.

“Yeah, to answer your question, hopefully I can control myself until the 18th, but there's no guarantees.”