Major champion forced out of The Masters but hopes to return in 2025
Golf legend Bernhard Langer out of The Masters but will attempt to make 2025 his last as a competitor.
Golf legend Bernhard Langer will miss The Masters this April after confirming the news to 'Beyond the Clubhouse' host Garrett Johnson.
Langer, 66, was hoping to make the 2024 Masters his final appearance at famed Augusta National from 11-14 April.
But the two-time Masters champion tore his Achilles tendon during a training session at the end of January.
Langer explained in a statement he would be undergoing immediate surgery.
Following a successful surgery in February, the German confirmed to golf reporter Johnston this weekend his recovery time will rule him out of heading to Georgia in April.
Spoke w/Bernhard Langer who confirmed that his recovery from surgery on his torn Achilles tendon forces him to skip next month’s Masters. What would have been his last.
His recovery is 4-6 months from surgery on Feb 2.
Will plan to make 2025 his final Masters as a competitor.— Garrett Johnston (@JohnstonGarrett) March 1, 2024
Langer, who slipped on the famous green jacket in 1985 and 1993, will remain on the sidelines until the middle of the summer.
As a result of having won at Augusta National, he is eligible to compete in the year's first major for as long as he likes.
Langer will now hope to make the 2025 Masters his final appearance at Augusta.
But he's not certain yet.
Should he compete in the tournament next season it will mark his 41st appearance.
Johnston tweeted on 2 March:
When Johnston pressed Langer further on a potential 2025 Masters appearance, the German replied:
Langer is eligible to make his final US Open appearance at Pinehurst from 13-16 June this season should he recover in time.
It will be touch and go though given his recovery timeframe.
Langer is able to participate in the 2024 US Open as a result of being the reigning US Senior Open champion.
He clinched his second US Senior Open title in 2023 with a two-stroke victory over Steve Stricker at SentryWorld.
Garrett Johnston is the host of the 'Beyond the Clubhouse' podcast.