One of the ‘greats’ of the European tour said goodbye to his country, where he had never won

The German Bernhard Langer came home to make his final appearance at DP World Tour (European Tour) within BMW International Open Munich This Sunday.

Langer, 66, hasn’t fully retired, as he continues to play (and win) at PGA Tour Champions (American Senior Circuit)but the tournament on Golfclub Munchen Eichenried It will be the first of many goodbyes as his golf career ends.

Langer said in the preview that he didn’t know how they were going to make him feel this week in his hometown. “I haven’t said goodbye to anything so far in terms of golf,” the German said at a press conference. “It will be my first experience and I have a feeling it will be very emotional,” he added.

Langer grew up near this location and said he worked as an assistant pro at a nearby course, the Munich Country Club.

“I have a lot of friends, some relatives and just people that I’ve been with, that have supported me for many, many years in golf, and obviously I’ve played this tournament many times,” said said Langer. “It’s the only one I haven’t won in Germany. So it’s always difficult, but I’m happy to be back.”

Langer has two green jackets at Augusta (1985 and 1993 Masters), and 42 of his 123 career titles have come on what was then known as the European Tour (one of them on Historic Spanish Open at El Saler, in 1984, with a record round of 62 strokes).

Langer bowed out at the Masters in April, but he tore his Achilles tendon two months ago and underwent surgery. He now has 12 PGA Tour Champions majors on his resume, the most recent being the 2023 US Senior Open.

Langer assured that “things are getting better and better in recovery,” but he’s not sure how well he’ll do this week against his rivals.

“I hope to make the cut, but I’ve heard the course is a lot longer than it used to be, and that’s a challenge for me,” he said. “I’m getting shorter, and the field is getting longer, and that’s not a good combination,” he said.