A look back at 2025’s 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 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, fans rising to their 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 putt didn’t make the cut, but that hardly mattered. What resonated was the decades Langer spent on that course—earning respect not just in Germany, but worldwide. Langer remained composed, grateful, and expressed his wish to return often as a “non-playing champion.” A quiet exit for a giant who never sought the spotlight, yet was impossible to ignore.
Fire Threatens Riviera, LIV Ignites Adelaide
While Augusta was filled with memories, another historic course in California faced a different kind of drama. Wildfires, fueled by strong winds, forced tens of thousands to evacuate and came dangerously close to Riviera Country Club. A nearly century-old venue, host to Olympic events, Majors, and Hollywood legends, found itself in the evacuation zone. As flames approached, emergency crews fought to protect one of golf’s most iconic venues.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, LIV Golf Adelaide delivered a very different kind of heat. Patrick Reed made history with a hole-in-one on the infamous 12th hole, the “Watering Hole.” The crowd erupted—drinks flew, fans roared, and Reed raised his arms. The scene felt more like a football match than a golf tournament, and that’s exactly what LIV Golf aims for.
Personal Moments: Love, Family, and Resilience
Not just places, but people shaped the golf year in unique ways. On the Ladies European Tour, Laura Fünfstück added a personal highlight—marrying fellow tour player Rosie Davies. Just days later, she was back on the course. “Nice to think about my swing again instead of tablecloths,” she joked, showing how closely personal life and pro golf intertwine.