AUGUSTA, Ga. — Bernhard Langer`s journey to faith began at Amen Corner.
In 1985, the German golfer secured his first green jacket at Augusta National. Days later, he experienced a spiritual awakening at a Bible study in Hilton Head, South Carolina. His second Masters victory came in 1993 on Easter Sunday, at a revered place in American golf.
`This tournament held a deeper significance for me than many realize, particularly in a spiritual sense,` Langer, at 67, reflected on Friday.
His words were in past tense as a bogey led to him missing the cut in his 41st and final Masters Tournament as a participant.
Langer`s walk off the 18th green on Friday marked the conclusion of an iconic Masters career. His initial win established him as only the third international champion, following South Africa`s Gary Player and Spain`s Seve Ballesteros. A second green jacket followed in 1993. He achieved seven top-10 finishes, including one in 2014, and impressively finished under par in 2020, tying for 29th at 3-under.
Langer`s enduring career spanned a significant shift in golf equipment. He remains the last major winner to use a persimmon driver.
The early 1990s saw equipment innovation, with drivers made of new materials. Langer, however, stuck with his trusted persimmon driver.
Reflecting on his past triumphs, Langer`s farewell at Augusta included a video from the Champions Tour showcasing his old Texan driver from 32 years prior. He then revealed an even more meaningful club, a unique gift inspired by his win.
`They presented me with a special gift,` Langer explained. `The owner hand-painted this driver for me. It depicts `The Last Supper` with Jesus and the twelve disciples. It`s hand-carved and truly unique.`
Dave Wood, nearly 2,000 miles away in Jalisco, Mexico, was taken aback by this.
Wood, a multifaceted individual with a Hollywood upbringing and artistic background, became involved in golf club design. Mentored by Masters legends Jackie Burke and Jimmy Demaret, he established the Texas Golf Co. and created the Texan driver.
`My company was the first to include loft degrees on clubs,` Wood stated. `This is now standard in pro shops.`
Wood and Langer connected in 1984. Wood`s playing experience allowed him to communicate effectively with players. He relied on feedback from top players like Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman to refine his products. He pioneered precision in club design long before advanced technology.
According to Wood, Langer`s testing methods were exceptionally structured.
`Bernhard had his caddie signal him from the end of the driving range using a detailed system,` Wood recalled. `It was true German precision. The signals conveyed the ball`s landing and behavior.`
Their careers subsequently flourished.
Word-of-mouth from Demaret and Burke brought players to Wood. Phil Mickelson and Ben Crenshaw became clients, with Mickelson even using a Texan to win his first PGA Tour event as an amateur in 1991. Wood crafted a driver for Langer in the early 90s.
In 1993, Wood was at Augusta early in the week, but had to travel to Japan. From there, he watched his friend win the Masters using his club.
`I was so invested in his success, I might have broken a TV if he hadn`t won,` Wood joked.
He felt compelled to create a special tribute for Langer`s achievement. Aware of Langer`s deep faith, he decided to carve `The Last Supper` onto a Texan driver.
`Leonardo da Vinci was always a major inspiration,` Wood said. `Bernhard`s Masters win was the ultimate goal, the greatest challenge.`
The intricate carving took six months, addressing the challenges of persimmon wood`s porosity and the driver head`s curves. Upon completion, Wood eagerly presented it to Langer, forgetting to even photograph it.
This week, a video featuring Langer showcasing the gift, sent by a golf industry friend, deeply moved Wood. It evoked thirty years of memories in golf and the closing chapter of a career alongside his friend.
`It looked exactly as I remembered,` Wood said from Mexico. `It`s touching to know it still holds significance for him among his many achievements.`
Wood watched Langer`s final round, noting his green slacks as a nod to his 1985 victory. The crowd`s standing ovations throughout the course were moving. Langer birdied the 12th, momentarily raising hopes, but double and single bogeys on the 15th and 18th holes changed the outcome.
`Approaching the 18th, I was on the cut line. Even after a bogey, I wasn`t certain I was out, thinking 3-over might be enough,` Langer commented.
He missed the cut by a single stroke, a final putt on 18 narrowly missing.
Knowing when to retire is especially challenging in golf. Langer`s dominance on the PGA Tour Champions extended well into his 60s. He still possesses the ability to challenge younger competitors. However, for legends, retirement is often a matter of conviction.
Despite an Achilles injury, Langer remained competitive and narrowly missed becoming the oldest player to make a major cut, a record held by Sam Snead at 67 in 1979. Langer`s goal, however, was not just to play the weekend.
`I aim to contend, to be on the leaderboard, to have a chance to win. On this course, I no longer feel capable of winning,` Langer admitted.
His playing partner, amateur Noah Kent, averaged significantly longer drives. Langer acknowledged the disadvantage of hitting longer irons into the greens, making it difficult to control the ball on Augusta`s challenging greens.
To compete, Langer relied on precision and experience gained over 41 Masters appearances. His solid play even made him reconsider his retirement decision during the round. Ultimately, he has found peace with his choice.
After his round, Langer greeted his family. `Many emotions came to mind over the last two days, walking the fairways,` he shared. `Friends from around the world joined me for holes. It meant so much.` Wood, his old friend, understood the sentiment. The `Last Supper` driver was symbolic for both of them.
`That was the last persimmon club I ever crafted personally,` Wood reflected. `Unknowingly, it marked an end of an era.`
Wood watched Langer`s final round with intense emotion, feeling deeply invested.
`This is it,` Wood concluded. `The close of our era.`
Masters commentator Jim Nantz recognized Langer as `one of the all-time greats of this tournament.`
Reflecting on his legacy, Langer hopes to be remembered `as a good golfer, and also as a man of faith.`
