A look back at 2025’s emotional turning points, personal stories, and unforgettable scenes on and off the course.
2025 was a year full of stories. Great careers came to an end, new paths were taken. 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 Augusta’s 18th green in April, the crowd rose to its feet as the two-time Masters champion took his final putt. After 41 starts, it was time to say goodbye. He missed the cut, but that hardly mattered. The decades Langer spent at Augusta earned him global respect. Grateful and composed, he 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 the Face of Fire and Celebration
While Augusta was filled with memories, another iconic course faced a different kind of drama. Wildfires driven by strong winds forced tens of thousands to evacuate near California’s Riviera Country Club. With nearly a century of history, including Olympic events and Major victories, the club found itself in the evacuation zone. As homes were abandoned, emergency crews fought to protect one of golf’s most storied venues.
Meanwhile, LIV Golf Adelaide brought the noise. Patrick Reed’s hole-in-one on the 12th hole, the infamous “Watering Hole,” sent fans into a frenzy. Drinks flew, cheers erupted, and Reed raised his arms in triumph. It felt more like a football game than a golf tournament—exactly the vibe LIV Golf aims for.
Personal Moments That Defined the Year
On the Ladies European Tour, Laura Fünfstück added a personal highlight: marrying fellow pro Rosie Davies. Just days later, she was back on the course. “Nice to think about my swing again instead of table settings,” she joked, showing how closely personal life and pro golf intertwine.
Tiger Woods also made headlines—this time off the course. Rumors swirled about a relationship with Vanessa Trump, ex-wife of Donald Trump Jr. Both live in Florida and have children active in junior golf. With a tough year marked by injury and the loss of his mother, Woods’ private life returned to the