A look back at 2025’s emotional turning points, personal stories, and unforgettable golf moments on and off the course.
2025 was a year full of stories. Legendary careers came to an end, while new paths were forged. Between farewells and fresh starts, crisis and clarity, emotion and spectacle, golf had it all this year. Sometimes, a single putt is enough to define an entire season. Here’s the year in review.
Bernhard Langer’s Quiet Farewell at Augusta
Some images in golf speak louder than words. When Bernhard Langer stood on the 18th green at Augusta in April, the crowd rose to their feet as the two-time Masters champion took his final putt. It didn’t make the cut, but that didn’t matter. What mattered were the decades Langer spent at Augusta, earning respect far beyond Germany. Calm and grateful, Langer expressed his hope to return often as a non-competing champion. A quiet exit from a man who never sought the spotlight but was impossible to overlook.
From Wildfires to Weddings: Golf’s Human Side
While Augusta was filled with nostalgia, another historic course faced a different kind of drama. Wildfires in California, driven by strong winds, forced tens of thousands to evacuate and came dangerously close to the Riviera Country Club. With nearly a century of history, including Olympic events and Major wins, the club stood in the path of destruction. Emergency crews battled to protect one of golf’s most iconic venues.
Meanwhile, on the Ladies European Tour, warmth came in the form of celebration. German golfer Laura Fünfstück married fellow tour player Rosie Davies, returning to competition just days later. “Nice to think about my swing again instead of tablecloths,” she joked, highlighting the delicate balance between personal life and professional sport.
Elsewhere, Tiger Woods made headlines off the course amid rumors of a relationship with Vanessa Trump, ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. Living in Florida and sharing ties through junior golf, the pair were seen together multiple times. With Woods facing injury setbacks and the loss of his mother, his private life once again took center stage.
Celebrations, Sacrifices, and Setbacks
The LIV Golf event in Adelaide brought a different kind of emotion—pure, unfiltered joy. Patrick Reed’s hole-in-one on the 12th hole, known as the “Watering Hole,” sent fans into a frenzy. Drinks flew, cheers erupted, and the atmosphere felt more like