There is a popular journalistic trick used to explain how long something has passed. Then people like to refer to events that took place that year in order to amaze the readers with their own memories.
For Bernhard Langer, Germany’s most famous golfer and also Germany’s most famous local resident, this trick works like this: In the year in which he played his first major tournament, the British Open, Mao Tse-Tung died, and the Palace of the Republic was built in East Berlin opened, mind you, not demolished. Björn Borg won at Wimbledon, Niki Lauda almost burned to death at the Nürburgring. Jimmy Carter became US President. That was all in 1976, and it is fair to say that it was a long time ago.
Langer is now 63, when the Masters starts today as one of the four big annual golf events, postponed to November due to Corona, then Langer will be back – for the 37th time. The tournament on Magnolia Lane is only in its 84th edition. He’s been there every time since 1984, twice, in 1985 and 1993, he won the tournament, he was sixth, seventh, ninth, eighth again, and he was 57 years old.
Kaymer missed the qualification
Of course he is Germany’s oldest participant in the Masters, but he would also have been if he had participated as a youngster from 1976. He is also the only German on the tee. Martin Kaymer, second prize tester in German golf, was unable to qualify. Longer than a two-time winner has a lifelong right to start in Augusta anyway.
But Langer is not one who can spend a few nice days at the Masters with this free ticket, even at 63 he has retained his ambition. And physical fitness. On his website in the Corona spring he gave workout tips in the video, and of course he did the exercises himself. Langer has always lived ascetically, 50 years for his sport, yoga, autogenic training, not a drop of alcohol. Instead of resting in his Florida residence, he plays golf in the Champions Tour for the year. There, where the older professionals over 50 compete. He only allowed himself breaks in 2020, they were compulsory breaks. Corona-related.
“I can hardly believe that I’m the oldest here. On the other hand, I’m grateful to be able to compete at such an age,” he said before the tournament in an interview he gave to his sponsor. Interviews are still not his thing, he keeps public appearances within limits. He prefers to withdraw to his Bible study group, which he founded years ago on the golf tour. In 2017, Donald Trump called him his friend. Langer then had to speak out publicly and hasten to assure that there was no question of friendship. “Trump invents friendship with Bernhard Langer,” were the headlines afterwards.
The favorites are different
With his 63 he is certainly no longer one of the favorites of the tournament, but finishing in the top ten of the ranking again would be a sensation. Perhaps even bigger than Tiger Woods’ comeback win from last year. The US superstar, who has been successfully on the tour for more than 25 years, will start as defending champion. But even he is only given outsider opportunities. The favorites for the winner’s green jacket are different: US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, for example, and his compatriot Dustin Johnson, former world number one Jon Rahm, who flooded the social media channels with a spell during training this week, Northern Ireland Rory McIllroy, who has won everything in the past ten years but never the Masters.
When Langer won in Augusta in 1985, it was the coup of a young outsider. One who beat Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, all those golf legends of the time. Today he is at the age at which the young players look up to him, Tall One, the Steadfast, Mister Consistency. All of his four children have also become golfers. Naturally.
At the start of the tournament he says: “I have the feeling that I’m in very good shape.” For his standards, that’s almost a declaration of war.
