The year in golf was filled with emotional turning points, personal stories and powerful scenes on and off the course.
2025 delivered a full spectrum of golf stories. Legendary careers came to an end while new paths were forged. Between farewells and fresh starts, crisis and clarity, emotion and spectacle, the sport offered it all. Sometimes, a single putt is enough to define an entire year. Here’s the year in review.
Bernhard Langer’s Quiet Farewell at Augusta
Few images in golf speak louder than words. But when Bernhard Langer stood on the 18th green at Augusta in April, the crowd rising to its feet as the two-time Masters champion took his final putt, it was one of those moments. After 41 starts, it was time to say goodbye. The final putt didn’t make the cut, but no one seemed to care. It was the decades Langer spent on that course that earned him global respect. And Langer? He remained composed—grateful, clear-minded, and hopeful to return often as a “non-playing champion.” A quiet exit from a great who never sought the spotlight, yet was impossible to overlook.
From Wildfires to Weddings: A Year of Contrasts
While Augusta echoed with memories, another iconic course in California faced a different kind of challenge. Devastating wildfires, fueled by strong winds, forced tens of thousands to evacuate and came dangerously close to the historic Riviera Country Club. A nearly century-old venue, host to Olympic events, Major wins, and Hollywood stars, found itself in the evacuation zone. As thousands fled their homes, emergency crews battled to protect one of golf’s most storied courses.
Meanwhile, on the Ladies European Tour, a different kind of milestone brought warmth to the season. German golfer Laura Fünfstück married her fellow tour player Rosie Davies—and was back on the course just days later. “Nice to think about my swing again instead of tablecloths,” she joked, highlighting how closely personal life and professional golf intertwine. Between wedding dances and tee shots, sometimes it’s just a travel day apart.
Woods, Reed, Straka and Hull: Personal Moments in the Spotlight
Elsewhere, Tiger Woods made headlines for reasons beyond the fairway. Reports linked him romantically with Vanessa Trump, ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. Both live in Florida and were seen together multiple times—golf, after all, connects people. With Woods navigating injury recovery and the