AUGUSTA, Ga. — Bernhard Langer`s spiritual journey began at Amen Corner.
In 1985, the German golfer secured his first Masters victory at Augusta National. He later reflected on a spiritual awakening days after this win, which occurred at a Bible study in Hilton Head, South Carolina. In 1993, his second Masters triumph coincided with Easter Sunday, at a course revered as a cornerstone of American golf.
`This tournament held a deeper personal significance for me than many realize, particularly in a spiritual sense,` Langer, aged 67, commented on Friday.
His words were tinged with finality as a bogey placed him outside the cut line in what marked his 41st and final Masters appearance as a competitor.
Langer`s walk off the 18th green on Friday concluded a Masters career filled with remarkable achievements. His initial victory at 27 years old positioned him as only the third international champion, following in the footsteps of South Africa`s Gary Player and Spain`s Seve Ballesteros. An additional green jacket followed eight years later in 1993. He achieved seven top-10 finishes, including one in 2014, and impressively finished under par as recently as 2020, tying for 29th at 3-under.
Langer`s enduring success spanned a significant evolution in golf equipment. He remains the last major winner to have used a persimmon driver.
The rise of drivers with larger, more forgiving heads transformed the game in the early 1990s. While John Daly captured the 1991 PGA Championship with a Kevlar Cobra driver, and Jose Maria Olazabal won the 1994 Masters with a TaylorMade metal driver, Langer`s continued competitiveness with older equipment became a testament to his skill.
Reflecting on his past glories, the Champions Tour, where Langer has been dominant since turning 50, celebrated his Masters farewell with a video. In it, Langer showcased the Texan driver by Texas Golf Co. he used to win 32 years prior, and a unique, hand-painted driver gifted to him after that victory, depicting `The Last Supper`.
`They presented me with a very special gift,` Langer explained. `The owner hand-painted this for me. It`s one of their drivers, illustrating `The Last Supper` with Jesus and the twelve disciples. It`s hand-carved and truly unique.`
Dave Wood, nearly 2,000 miles away in Jalisco, Mexico, was astonished to see this.
Wood`s background is multifaceted. Growing up in Hollywood, California, as the son of a golf professional, he attended the prestigious California Institute of the Arts. Initially recruited to play golf at the University of Houston, he shifted his focus to art, graduating from the Glassell School of Art in Houston. His passion for golf and art converged as he began experimenting with club design, mentored by Masters champions Jackie Burke and Jimmy Demaret.
This led to the creation of the Texas Golf Co. and his innovative Texan driver.
`My company was the first to introduce loft degrees on clubs,` Wood noted. `This feature is now standard in all clubs available today.`
Wood`s connection with Langer began at Riviera Country Club in 1984. His background as a competitive golfer enabled him to communicate effectively with players as an equipment representative. In an era before launch monitors, Wood relied on feedback from players like Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman to refine his designs. He pioneered precision club making well before advanced technology became available.
He recalls Langer`s meticulous testing methods.
`Bernhard employed a signal system with his caddie at the driving range,` Wood described. `It was very precise, true to German engineering. The caddie would signal back to Bernhard based on the ball`s landing and roll, providing detailed feedback.`
Their careers progressed rapidly in parallel.
Word-of-mouth referrals from Demaret and Burke brought players to Wood. Phil Mickelson and Ben Crenshaw became clients, with Mickelson even using a Texan driver to win the 1991 Tucson Open as an amateur. In the early 90s, Wood also crafted a driver for Langer.
In 1993, Wood was present at Augusta early in the week but had to travel to Japan. While there, he watched his friend win the Masters using a club he had made.
`Had he not succeeded, I might have broken a television set,` Wood joked.
He felt compelled to create a special memento for both himself and Langer to commemorate the achievement, knowing Langer`s deep Christian faith. He decided to carve `The Last Supper` into a Texan driver.
`Leonardo da Vinci was always a source of inspiration,` Wood said. `Bernhard`s Masters victory was the ultimate goal, the greatest challenge I could imagine.`
The intricate carving took six months, addressing the challenges of persimmon wood`s porosity and the driver head`s complex curves. Upon completion, eager to present it to Langer, Wood didn`t even photograph his creation.
This week, a text from a golf industry friend with the video of Langer showcasing the driver surprised and moved Wood. It evoked three decades of memories, a life dedicated to golf, and now, the closing chapter of an era with his friend`s final Masters round.
`It looked exactly as I remembered,` Wood said from Mexico. `It’s touching that it remains significant to him, that among all his victories and trophies, he cherishes this piece.`
Wood watched Langer`s Friday round, noting his green slacks as a nod to his 1985 win. The crowd`s standing ovations resonated throughout the course. Langer`s birdie on the 12th briefly raised hopes of another Amen Corner miracle, but a double bogey on 15 and a bogey on 18 ultimately sealed his fate.
`Approaching the 18th, I had mixed feelings, still thinking I might make the cut. Even after the bogey, I wasn`t certain I was out, as I thought 3-over might be enough,` Langer recounted.
He missed the cut by a single stroke, a putt on 18 narrowly failing to drop.
Knowing when to retire is a particular challenge in golf. Langer`s record as the most decorated player on the PGA Tour Champions, consistently outperforming younger competitors into his 60s, underscores his enduring skill. He remains capable of competing with players half his age. The decision to step away, for legends like Langer, is often a matter of conviction.
Despite an Achilles injury last year, Langer 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`s aspirations extended beyond simply making the cut.
`I want to be in contention,` Langer stated. `I want to be in a position to win. On this course now, I don’t believe I can win anymore.`
His playing partner, amateur Noah Kent, averaged 322.6 yards off the tee, while Langer averaged 253.3 yards. The distance gap presented a significant challenge.
`I`m hitting long irons into greens designed for shorter approaches, making it hard to control the ball,` Langer explained. `The greens are exceptionally challenging.`
To compete, Langer relied on strategic misses and exceptional short game skills honed over 41 years at Augusta. His solid performance even prompted him to briefly question his retirement decision. Ultimately, he affirmed he is at peace with his choice.
After his round, Langer greeted his family, expressing the emotional weight of the past two days and the support from friends worldwide who walked with him on the course. Dave Wood in Mexico shared in this sentiment. His `Last Supper` driver for Langer marked a personal turning point as well.
`That was the last persimmon golf club I ever personally crafted,` Wood reflected. `I didn`t realize it at the time. That’s life.`
Wood watched every shot of Langer`s final round with intense emotion, describing it as the most invested he’d ever been in a round of golf.
`This is the end,` Wood concluded. `The end of our era.`
Masters announcer Jim Nantz, who has covered the tournament since 1989, hailed Langer as `one of the greatest players in the history of this tournament.`
Langer himself, reflecting in his final press conference, pondered his legacy: `How will they remember me? Hopefully, as a good golfer, but also as a man of faith.`
Adrian Whitmore