The German legend to bid the Masters a fond farewell
Bernhard Langer’s outstanding profession has seen him win 47 tournaments on the PGA TOUR Champions, the newest on the Charles Schwab Tour Championship in 2024, 42 instances in Europe and in quite a few occasions world wide, together with two triumphs on the Australian Masters. Nonetheless, his two most vital and memorable victories got here on the US Masters in 1985 and 1993.
Now 67 years of age, Langer concedes the Augusta Nationwide course could now be higher suited to the lengthy hitting younger stars of world golf and this 12 months can be his final on the Masters match.
Inside Golf’s US correspondent Garrett Johnston caught up with Langer forward of his forty first and ultimate Masters look, to speak about his love for the Augusta Nationwide course, Australian programs and Australian gamers previous and current, in addition to his superb success and longevity.
What’s it that you simply try this means that you can preserve enjoying at this degree?
Properly, it’s a variety of issues. It’s a must to be considerably disciplined. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I get sufficient sleep, I train, have an excellent household, a very good coach, nice caddy. There’s a variety of items that must be proper. Actually, a tough employee. I used to work extraordinarily onerous. I can’t do it anymore as a result of my physique can’t take it. I can’t beat balls for 5 to 6 hours a day. I like to compete and all these issues matter. And I really feel after I’m on the market, I give it 100% each time, and I’ve realized to take some extra break day. After I get dwelling I simply recuperate and play much less and follow much less after I’m dwelling.
How for much longer do you need to compete at this degree?
I actually don’t know. I’ve all the time stated three issues must be in place. I must be wholesome, as a result of if I’m not wholesome, I can’t swing or transfer the membership and do it the way in which I need to do it. I wouldn’t play effectively. Secondly, I’ve bought to have some success, as a result of if I don’t really feel like I can win anymore, if I really feel like I’m ending final, , eight out of ten, then it’s undoubtedly time to give up. That’s not me. So, every time that point has come or will come, hopefully I’ll realize it and decide. However proper now, I nonetheless really feel wholesome sufficient to do it. I really feel aggressive to be on the market. Even with my surgical procedure in February (2024), I used to be out for just a few months after which I nonetheless put myself in rivalry a number of instances and I had alternatives to win at the very least two or 3 times. Then I received in Phoenix on the end.
That is going to be your final Masters, how does that really feel?
Yeah, that’s the plan. As quickly as I missed it final 12 months, I figured I’m going to attempt to play my subsequent one, make that the final one. So, the plan is to be at Augusta in April and say goodbye as a competitor. However I’ll plan to be there for a lot of, many extra years to benefit from the match, to be part of the Par 3 contest, the Champions Dinner on Tuesday night time, and lots of different traditions to have.
How did you arrive at that call to finish it now?
Properly, the previous few years, I simply felt the course was getting longer and longer. I imply, they’ve quite a few holes now which are 520, 530. And it’s no enjoyable hitting three woods, two hybrids, three hybrids into these greens which are actually designed to be hit with an eight or seven iron, just like the younger guys do. And I had a dialog with Jack Nicklaus 10 years in the past. I performed a follow spherical with him and I stated, “Jack, in your prime, what was the longest iron you ever hit right into a par 4 as a second shot at Augusta?” And he didn’t take lengthy, then he stated, “, the longest could have been an eight-iron. It was largely wedges, nine-irons and eight-irons.”
And that’s while you take a look at the inexperienced complexes, they’re just about designed for a brief to medium iron, to not be coming in with a three-wood or two hybrid the way in which I’m, off the sidehill or downhill lie half the time.
How do you describe the sensation of being on that property at Augusta?
Properly, to me, it’s a really particular place. It’s very private. It’s the one main I’ve received. Two instances after all. I’ve been enjoying there 40 years; this can be 41. It’s been a really very long time. It’s a really distinctive place. The modifications they’ve made through the years are phenomenal. After I first bought there, it was fairways and pine needles. There was no tough reduce. Then they planted 5,000 bushes to make it tighter and make it more durable. After which they made each gap just about longer, besides a few them. It’s very distinctive and really particular.
What do you look ahead to sentimentally about that week and the belongings you’ll undergo?
It is going to be very troublesome. It is going to be very emotional for me to say goodbye to Augusta, to the US Masters as a competitor. And particularly with all of the household and buddies I’m going to have there. All my household can be there, my children, my grandkids. I’ll be teary-eyed arising 18, and it’s going to be a tricky one, emotional. However I’ve had my time, it’s time for the younger man. It’s a younger man’s golf course, it’s not an previous man’s golf course. As I stated, it’s very lengthy, very hilly. It’s even a tough stroll. You already know, while you stroll 7600 yards on a really hilly course, and it takes 5 hours to play, it makes it a protracted day while you’re on the market, two hours beforehand, or three to heat up.
You’d be the oldest particular person to make the reduce if you happen to do get it finished in April at 67.
Properly, it’s actually a problem, and it is going to be very troublesome for the explanation I simply advised you. I can’t get the ball close to the outlet with the longer golf equipment I’m hitting into the greens. I can’t even get the ball on the greens on sure holes as a result of it won’t cease. If I land a 3-wood or 2-hybrid in the midst of the inexperienced, it’s most probably going to run by way of in the event that they’re agency. And a few greens it’s important to fly the ball onto, you’ll be able to’t bounce it or run it up. So it’s a problem, a really robust problem. However , it’s not completely out of attain, so I’ll be attempting my greatest to hopefully make the reduce and play 4 rounds as an alternative of two.
You’ve performed in Australia over your profession, how have you ever loved that?
It’s all the time been enjoyable enjoying in Australia. Australia has a few of the greatest golf programs on the earth, particularly close to town of Melbourne. They could have three or 4 of the perfect programs on the earth, and related in Sydney and different locations. They’ve bought a lot of nice champs too, as we all know. I’ve been very lucky to win in Australia.
What do you make of the present Aussies?
Properly, I believe Australia has all the time had superb gamers, all the way in which again to Greg Norman. He began this new crop that got here out within the 90s and 2000s and so they preserve producing nice champions 12 months after 12 months. I’m enjoying on the Champions Tour and I believe we’ve 13 Aussies. Which may be essentially the most represented nation after America. And that’s unimaginable. There’s undoubtedly a camaraderie between these guys as a result of they’ve the identical passport and signify the identical flag. There’s an excellent crop of champions on the PGA Tour Champions proper now. It’s spectacular.
