A look back at 2025’s most emotional turning points, personal stories, and dramatic scenes on and off the course.
2025 was a year full of stories. Legendary careers came to a close while new paths were forged. Between farewells and fresh starts, crisis and clarity, emotion and spectacle, golf delivered 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 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 of presence at Augusta that earned global respect. Langer, ever composed, expressed gratitude and a desire to return as a non-playing champion. A quiet exit for a giant who never sought the spotlight but was impossible to overlook.
From Fire to Celebration: Golf’s Emotional Spectrum
While Augusta echoed with memories, another historic course in California faced a different kind of drama. Wildfires, driven by strong winds, forced tens of thousands to evacuate and came dangerously close to the Riviera Country Club. A nearly century-old venue known for hosting Olympic events, Majors, and celebrity tournaments, Riviera found itself in the evacuation zone. As homes were abandoned, emergency crews fought to protect one of golf’s most iconic sites.
Meanwhile, on the Ladies European Tour, Laura Fünfstück brought warmth to the season with her wedding to fellow pro Rosie Davies. Just days later, she was back on the tee. “Nice to think about my swing again instead of tablecloths,” she joked, highlighting how closely personal life and professional golf intertwine today.
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 active in junior golf through their children, the connection sparked media buzz during a year in which Woods also dealt with injuries and the loss of his mother.
LIV Golf, Family Priorities, and Health Scares
At LIV Golf Adelaide, Patrick Reed electrified the crowd with a hole-in-one at the raucous 12th hole, the “Watering Hole.” The scene exploded with flying drinks and roaring fans—