AUGUSTA, Ga. — It was during his play through Amen Corner that Bernhard Langer underwent a spiritual transformation.
In 1985, the German golfer celebrated his first Masters victory at Augusta National. He later reflected that he used the Lord`s name inappropriately during the Butler Cabin interview. However, his perspective shifted days later at a Bible study in Hilton Head, South Carolina. In 1993, he achieved his second Masters win on Easter Sunday, at the iconic home of American golf.
`This tournament held a deeper significance for me than many realize, especially in a spiritual sense,` Langer, now 67, commented on Friday.
He spoke in the past tense as a bogey unfortunately placed him outside the cut line in what marked his 41st and final Masters Tournament as a participant.
Langer`s walk off the 18th green on Friday signaled the conclusion of a remarkable Masters legacy. His initial triumph occurred when, at 27 years old from a small German village, he became only the third international champion, following South Africa`s Gary Player and Spain`s Seve Ballesteros. This was followed by a second green jacket eight years later in 1993. His Masters record includes seven top-10 finishes, with one as recent as 2014. He also finished under par in 2020, tying for 29th at 3-under.
Langer`s enduring career spanned a significant shift in golf equipment technology; he remains the last major winner to have used a persimmon driver.
The rise of drivers with larger heads was evident when John Daly won the 1991 PGA Championship with a Kevlar-headed Cobra driver, and Jose Maria Olazabal`s 1994 Masters victory came with a then-large TaylorMade metal driver.
Reflecting on Langer`s past achievements sparked nostalgia. As part of his farewell to Augusta, the Champions Tour shared a video showcasing Langer presenting the Texan driver from Texas Golf Co., which he used to win 32 years prior. He then revealed his most cherished club, inspired by that victory.
`They presented me with a very special gift,` Langer explained. `The owner personally hand-painted this for me. It’s one of their drivers, depicting `The Last Supper` with Jesus and the twelve disciples, hand-carved. A truly unique piece.`
Nearly 2,000 miles away in Jalisco, Mexico, Dave Wood was taken aback by the video.
Wood is a multifaceted individual. Growing up in Hollywood, California, as the son of a golf professional and instructor, he attended the prestigious California Institute of the Arts. He was recruited to play golf at the University of Houston but left after a year, graduating instead from the Glassell School of Art in Houston. Still a skilled golfer, he began to combine his passions by experimenting with golf club design. He found mentorship in legends Jackie Burke and Jimmy Demaret, both Masters champions from Texas.
This led to the creation of Texas Golf Co. and his innovative Texan driver.
`I was the first to introduce loft degrees on clubs,` Wood stated. `This is now standard on every club in pro shops today.`
Wood and Langer first met at Riviera Country Club in 1984 and quickly connected. As a competitive golfer himself, Wood was uniquely positioned among equipment reps to understand players` needs. Without launch monitors at the time, Wood relied on feedback from his pro friends, like Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman, to refine his products. He pioneered precision club development long before technological aids became available.
He noted that Langer`s testing methods were exceptionally structured.
`Bernhard would have his caddie at the far end of the driving range with a signal system,` Wood recounted. `It was very precise, German engineering. Based on the ball`s landing and roll, the caddie would signal back to Bernhard to communicate the performance.`
Their careers both flourished soon after this period.
Demaret and Burke began referring players to Wood. Eventually, Phil Mickelson and Ben Crenshaw started using clubs made by Wood, including the Texan driver Mickelson used as an amateur to win the 1991 Tucson Open, his first PGA Tour victory. In the early 90s, Wood also crafted a driver for Langer.
In 1993, Wood was at Augusta from Sunday to Tuesday but then had to travel to Japan. While in Japan, he watched his friend win the Masters at midnight, using a club he had made.
`Had he not succeeded, I might have broken a Japanese television,` Wood joked.
He wanted to create a special memento for both himself and Langer to commemorate this significant achievement, knowing Langer`s deep Christian faith and his preference for respectful language. He decided to create a Texan driver engraved with `The Last Supper`.
`Leonardo da Vinci has always inspired me,` Wood explained. `After Bernhard`s Augusta victory, this became my goal, my ultimate creative challenge.`
He spent six months crafting the special driver, tackling the challenges of persimmon wood`s `porosity` and engraving the intricate design onto the curved driver head. Upon completion, eager to present it to Langer, he even forgot to photograph his creation.
This week, a text from a golf industry friend containing the video of Langer showcasing the gift astonished Wood. Langer’s highlighting of the driver brought back three decades of memories from his life in golf, and marked the end of an era as his old friend completed his final Masters.
`It looked exactly as I remembered,` Wood said from his home in Mexico. `It’s touching that it still holds importance for him, that among all his many trophies, he cherishes this one.`
Wood watched Langer on Friday, noting his green slacks as a tribute to his 1985 win. The fans gave Langer standing ovations across the course. Wood watched as Langer birdied the 12th, momentarily reaching the cut line, reminiscent of Amen Corner`s past salvation. However, a double bogey on the 15th and another bogey on the 18th changed his fate.
`Coming to the 18th, I was experiencing mixed emotions, still potentially within the cut line, and even after a bogey, I wasn’t sure if I was out, thinking 3-over might make it,` Langer recounted.
Ultimately, he missed the cut by a single stroke after a putt on the 18th narrowly missed.
Knowing when to retire is particularly challenging in golf. Langer is the most decorated player in PGA Tour Champions history, consistently outperforming younger competitors well into his sixties. He remains capable of beating players half his age on the right day. (Shortly after Langer finished at 3-over, 28-year-old Will Zalatoris concluded his second round at 8-over.) For great athletes, the decision to retire often comes down to personal conviction.
Despite an Achilles injury from training last year, Langer has maintained exceptional fitness. He narrowly missed becoming the oldest player to make a major cut, a record held by Sam Snead at the 1979 PGA Championship, also at 67. However, Langer stated his ambition was not just to play the weekend.
`I aim to be in contention,` Langer explained. `I want to be near the top of the leaderboard, with a chance to win. On this course, I no longer feel I can win.`
Langer’s playing partner, amateur Noah Kent, averaged 322.6 yards off the tee over the two days, while Langer averaged 253.3 yards per drive, putting him at a significant disadvantage.
`I`m hitting very long irons into these greens, making it hard to control ball placement,` Langer noted. `This course is designed for approach shots with mid to short irons. The greens are extremely challenging.`
To compete, Langer had to rely on precision and exceptional short game skills, applying the experience gained over 41 years at Augusta. He performed admirably, leading him to question his decision to retire. However, he now expresses peace with his choice.
After finishing the 18th, with his son Jason as his caddie, Langer was greeted by his wife, four children, and two grandchildren. `Many emotions went through my mind over the last two days walking the fairways,` he shared. `Friends from around the world walked with me for a few holes, which meant a great deal.` Dave Wood, watching from Mexico, deeply understood these sentiments. Wood`s `Last Supper` driver for Langer marked a symbolic end for himself as well.
`That was the last persimmon golf club I personally crafted,` Wood reflected. `I didn`t realize it then, but that`s how life unfolds.`
Wood followed every shot of Langer`s round on Friday, saying he had never been so emotionally invested in a golf tournament.
`This is it,` Wood concluded. `The end of our era.`
Masters commentator Jim Nantz, who has covered the tournament since 1989, called Langer `one of the greatest players in the history of this tournament.`
Reflecting on his legacy in his final press conference, Langer pondered, `How will I be remembered? Hopefully, as a good golfer, but also, I hope, as a man of faith.`