AUGUSTA (Ga.) — Bernhard Langer recognizes he has been playing in the Masters Tournament for a while when he looks at the field for the87th Masters Tournament.
Thursday’s first round saw no one who has played in the 1982 Masters, where Langer made his debut.
He is 65 years old and five months older than Sandy Lyle, an European player.
Langer failed to make it back for 1983 after qualifying for the 1982 Masters as a leader in the 1981 European Tour money lists. In 1984, he returned to the Masters and won his first victory in 1985. He was then given a lifetime invitation. His health allowed him to participate in all Masters events. In 1993, he won again, marking the last time a champion persimmon driver.
This is Masters No. For Germany’s greatest golfer, 40.
Langer, who was sitting on the verandah of Augusta National’s clubhouse after a practice round, said that “It’s hard for me to believe how fast time flies when it’s having fun.” Everyone is moving on, if you look around. All of us are getting older. It’s difficult to believe that it has been so long. But’s it’s great, it’s fun.”
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Langer can’t recall much about his Masters debut other than the fact that he shot 77-78 and had 11 greens for three-putts. He missed the cut by one shot.
Langer stated that the greens were fast. “I’d never seen fast greens as these before because I hadn’t played in a U.S. Open. Although I had played several times at the British Open, the greens at the British Open are slower than the British Open. It was eye-opening, but it was also a great experience. I loved it immediately and didn’t play well.
Langer won the Masters in 1993 and 1985, but Langer also won the Heritage at the PGA Tour the week following his 1985 Masters win.
He has excelled on the 50-and over PGA Tour Champions, where he started in 2007.
Langer had won 25 tours by the end 2015, but Hale Irwin’s 45-year career record looked impossible.
Langer stated, “It seemed so.”
He kept working hard, picking up four wins in 2016, seven for 2017, and two each in 2018, 2020, and 2022. He didn’t win in 2021.
He tied Irwin’s record on February 19, 2023 in the Chubb Classic, his 3rd start of this season.
Langer stated, “I have learned to believe that most records will soon be broken,”
He has had three chances to break the record, and the next Champions event will be April 21 in Irving Texas.
Langer stated, “I am reminded of it every other week now.” “A lot of tournaments that I participate in, they say, “We hope you break this record this week.” “We’d love to be there when you break the record.
Langer and Lyle from Scotland are the last remaining men in the “Big Five Europeans” Masters. Between 1980 and 1993, Langer and Lyle, Spain’s Seve Ballesteros, England’s Nick Faldo, and Wales’ Ian Woosnam won eight green jackets. Two each for Langer and Ballesteros. Faldo would win a third.
Lyle will be playing in his last Masters this year. Faldo played last in 2006. Woosnam retired in 2021. Ballesteros, who was 54 when he died in 2011, made his last Masters appearance in 2007.
Langer spoke of Ballesteros, saying that “We think about him and the things that happened to him.” We tell stories. “We tell stories. I have good friends with Jose Maria Olazabal (Miguel Angel Jimenez), a couple of Spanishmen, so Seve often comes up. Others say that Seve taught me how to get out of the bunker. We will miss him. That’s just life. There are no guarantees.
Langer’s question now is: How many more years will Langer play in the Masters? The past two years, he missed the cut.
Langer stated, “I think I’m getting closer to my end,” Langer added. Langer said, “The course is very, very long. It’s just too much for me. They extended 11 this year, which is something nobody talks about. 18. It was something I heard and I asked someone to confirm it.
Langer stated that every year the fairways grow longer and are mowed deeper into the grain. The greens are not meant to be hit with 3-, 4-irons or 3-woods. They were designed for short to mid-irons to be hit high with lots of backspin. I don’t want this to be a fool. We’ll see. I’m certain I’ll be back next year, but I don’t know how many. It’s something I haven’t really thought about.”
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By: David Westin
Title: Bernhard Langer’s 2023 Masters honors last of Europe’s first wave of golf greatness
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/04/05/bernhard-langer-2023-masters-40th-time-augusta/
Published Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2023 23:07:06 +0000
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