German icon Langer bids emotional farewell to Masters tournament
Germany's Bernhard Langer hits the ball during first round game of the BMW International Golf Open. Langer walked hand in hand with his wife Vikki Carol one last time as a participant, while fans cheered and celebrated his impressive achievements on the legendary golf course in the US state of Georgia. Christian Kolbert/Kolbert-Press/dpa
After Bernhard Langer's last putt at the Masters on Friday, the spectators stood up and applauded the German golf icon.
Langer then walked hand in hand with his wife Vikki Carol one last time as a participant, while fans cheered and celebrated his impressive achievements on the legendary golf course in the US state of Georgia.
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The 1985 and 1993 Masters champion missed his chance to extend his time at the major tournament with a misplaced putt.
He had announced before the tournament that he would be competing in the Masters for the last time.
"It was truly a fairytale," said Langer, who put golf in the spotlight in Germany with his first Masters triumph 40 years ago.
The veteran didn't know for sure at the time he made the mistake that he would miss the cut and wouldn't be competing at the weekend - but he suspected it.
"I played really well today and just had a terrible finish that knocked me out. But I didn't know whether I was walking on hole 18 for the last time or whether I'd still be here tomorrow (Saturday(," Langer told US broadcaster ESPN.
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The confirmation came in the evening and the 67-year-old had to leave his beloved golf course after rounds of 74 and 73 strokes.
"That was very infuriating. Otherwise I would be here this weekend. But that's the thing about golf. It can be the most beautiful game, and sometimes it can be very brutal," he said after the second round.
"The last two days have been special for me, even when I walked to the first tee yesterday, I got a standing ovation and people really applauded me," he said.
"It almost brought tears to my eyes and I almost started crying. I then said to myself, pull yourself together, you still have some golf to play here."
In the future, Langer wants to concentrate on tournaments on the US Seniors Tour.
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