This year’s Masters will mark Bernhard Langer’s final appearance as a competitor.
Langer, 66, made the announcement this week in Hawaii as the PGA Tour Champions season gets underway.
“It’s exciting,” Langer said, “but at the same time, I’m aware that I’m going to be hitting 3-irons and 2-hybrids when the guys are hitting 9-irons into the green, and that’s tough to compete against. But it’s a challenge, and I usually don’t shy away from challenges.”
The two-time Masters champion will be making his 41st career start at Augusta National this year. His Masters debut came in 1982, three years before he slipped into his first green jacket. He also won the title in 1993.
Langer has missed his last three Masters cuts, each time failing to shoot lower than 74. He has one finish inside the top 20 in his past 17 appearances.
Last year, Langer became the winningest player in senior tour history when he captured the U.S. Senior Open for his 46th career title. That victory earned him a spot in this year’s U.S. Open, which he figures will “probably” be his last as well.
“Unless some miracle happens in the future,” he said.
The full interview airs at 5 p.m. ET Wednesday as part of the PGA Tour Champions season preview show on Golf Channel.