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. Legendary careers came to a close, new paths were forged, and the game of golf delivered everything from farewells to fresh starts, crises to clarity, emotion to spectacle. Sometimes, a single putt is enough to define an entire year. Here’s the year in review.
Farewell at Augusta – Bernhard Langer’s Quiet Goodbye
Few images in golf speak louder than words. But when Bernhard Langer stood on the 18th green at Augusta in April, the crowd rose to its feet as the two-time Masters champion took his final putt. After 41 appearances, 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 around the world. True to form, Langer remained composed and grateful, expressing his wish to return often as a “non-playing champion.” A quiet exit from a giant who never sought the spotlight, yet was impossible to overlook.
From Fire to Festivities – Golf’s Contrasts in 2025
While Augusta was steeped in memories, another iconic 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, Riviera has hosted Olympic events, Majors, and countless celebrities. As flames threatened one of golf’s most storied venues, emergency crews battled to protect it from devastation.
Meanwhile, on the Ladies European Tour, a different kind of warmth was on display. German golfer Laura Fünfstück married fellow tour player Rosie Davies, and just days later was back on the course. “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, they were seen together several times. With their children active in junior golf, their paths naturally crossed. While Woods dealt with injury and the loss of his mother, his private life once again drew public attention.
At LIV Golf Adelaide, emotions ran high in a different way. Patrick Reed electrified the crowd with