A look back at 2025: emotional turning points, personal stories, and unforgettable scenes on and off the course.
The year 2025 delivered a full spectrum of golf moments. From career farewells to emotional highs and lows, the game saw it all. Sometimes, a single putt is enough to define a year. Here’s the golf year in review.
Bernhard Langer’s Quiet Farewell at Augusta
Few images in golf speak louder than words. 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. It didn’t make the cut, but that hardly mattered. After 41 starts, Langer’s legacy at Augusta was already cemented. His graceful exit was met with global respect, and the German legend expressed his hope to return as a non-playing champion. A quiet goodbye from a man who never sought the spotlight, yet always commanded attention.
Golf in the Face of Fire and Celebration
While Augusta was filled with nostalgia, California’s Riviera Country Club faced a different kind of drama. Historic wildfires, driven by strong winds, forced tens of thousands to evacuate. The nearly century-old venue—host to Olympic events, Majors, and Hollywood elite—was in the evacuation zone, with firefighters battling to protect one of golf’s iconic courses.
Meanwhile, in Adelaide, LIV Golf brought the noise. Patrick Reed’s hole-in-one on the 12th, the infamous “Watering Hole,” sent the crowd into a frenzy. Drinks flew, fans roared, and Reed raised his arms in triumph. It felt more like a football match than a golf tournament—exactly the vibe LIV aims to create.
Personal Moments That Defined the Year
On the Ladies European Tour, Laura Fünfstück added a personal milestone to her season by marrying fellow tour player Rosie Davies. Just days later, she was back on the course. “Nice to think about my swing again instead of table settings,” she joked, highlighting the balance between personal life and professional sport.
Tiger Woods made headlines off the course, reportedly dating Vanessa Trump, ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. Both based in Florida and familiar with junior golf through their children, the connection sparked media buzz during a year that also saw Woods dealing with injury and the loss of his mother.