A look back at 2025’s emotional turning points, personal stories, and dramatic moments on and off the golf 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 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. He missed the cut, but that hardly mattered. It was the decades Langer spent on that course that earned him global respect. True to form, Langer remained composed—grateful, clear-minded, and hopeful to return as a non-competing champion. A quiet exit for a giant who never sought the spotlight but was impossible to ignore.
Fire Threatens Riviera, LIV Ignites Adelaide
While Augusta was steeped in memories, another historic course in California faced a different kind of challenge. Wildfires, fueled by strong winds, forced tens of thousands to evacuate and came dangerously close to the Riviera Country Club. With nearly a century of history and a backdrop of Olympic events, Major victories, and Hollywood stars, Riviera found itself in the fire’s path. Firefighters battled to protect one of golf’s most iconic venues.
Meanwhile, LIV Golf Adelaide brought the noise. Patrick Reed’s hole-in-one on the infamous 12th hole, the “Watering Hole,” turned the crowd into a frenzy. Drinks flew, fans roared, and Reed raised his arms in triumph. It felt more like a football game than a golf tournament—and that’s exactly the vibe LIV Golf aims for.
Personal Moments: From Weddings to Withdrawals
Golf in 2025 was also shaped by personal stories. On the Ladies European Tour, Laura Fünfstück married fellow tour player Rosie Davies, then returned to competition just days later. “Nice to think about my swing again instead of tablecloths,” she joked, highlighting how closely personal life and professional golf intertwine.
Elsewhere, Tiger Woods made headlines not for his play, but his personal life. Rumors linked him to Vanessa