A look back at 2025’s emotional turning points, personal stories, and unforgettable 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. 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 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. What resonated was Langer’s decades-long presence at Augusta — respected not only in Germany but around the world. Langer remained composed, grateful, and expressed his hope to return often as a non-playing champion. A quiet exit from a giant who never sought the spotlight, yet was impossible to overlook.
Golf in Flames: Riviera Club Threatened by Wildfires
While Augusta was filled with nostalgia, another iconic course faced a different kind of drama. Wildfires, fueled by strong winds, forced tens of thousands to evacuate as flames approached the historic Riviera Country Club in California. With nearly a century of history, the club has hosted Olympic events, Major victories, and countless celebrities. As emergency crews battled the blaze, the golf world held its breath for one of its most storied venues.
Personal Moments That Defined the Year
It wasn’t just courses that shaped the year — players did too. On the Ladies European Tour, Laura Fünfstück married fellow pro Rosie Davies, then returned to competition just days later. “Nice to think about my swing again instead of tablecloths,” she joked, highlighting how personal life and professional golf often intertwine.
Tiger Woods also made headlines — not for his play, but his personal life. Rumors linked him to Vanessa Trump, ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. Both live in Florida and have children active in junior golf. Amid injury struggles and the loss of his mother, Woods found himself back in the public eye for different reasons.
At LIV Golf Adelaide, Patrick Reed electrified the crowd with a hole-in-one at the infamous “Watering Hole.” Fans erupted, drinks flew, and the scene resembled