This year’s golf review reflects on emotional turning points, personal stories, and dramatic scenes on and off the course.
2025 was a year full of stories. Legendary careers came to an end, new paths were taken, and the game of golf delivered everything from farewells to fresh starts, crises to clarity, emotion to spectacle. Sometimes, a single putt is enough to define an entire year. Here’s the golf 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, fans rose to their feet as the two-time Masters champion took his final putt. After 41 starts, it was time to say goodbye. The putt didn’t make the cut, but that hardly mattered. It was the decades Langer spent on this course that earned global respect. Langer remained composed—grateful, clear, and hopeful to return often as a non-playing champion. A quiet exit for a giant who never sought the spotlight, yet was impossible to overlook.
From Wildfires to Weddings: A Year of Contrasts
While Augusta was filled with memories, another historic course faced a different kind of challenge. Wildfires in California, fueled by strong winds, forced tens of thousands to evacuate and came dangerously close to the Riviera Country Club. With nearly a century of history, the club—host to Olympic events, Majors, and Hollywood stars—was in the evacuation zone. Firefighters battled to protect one of golf’s most iconic venues.
Meanwhile, on the Ladies European Tour, a heartwarming moment unfolded. German golfer Laura Fünfstück married fellow pro Rosie Davies, returning to competition just days later. “Nice to think about my swing again instead of tablecloths,” she joked, showing how closely personal life and professional golf intertwine.
Elsewhere, Tiger Woods made headlines off the course. Reports linked him romantically to Vanessa Trump, ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. Both based in Florida and seen together multiple times, their connection highlights how golf often brings people together. Amid injury recovery and the loss of his mother, Woods’ private life once again drew public attention.
Emotion, Impact, and the Unexpected
At LIV Golf Adelaide, emotion turned into euphoria. Patrick Reed’s hole-in-one on the 12th hole—known as the “Watering Hole”—sent the crowd into a frenzy