Many are hoping that Rory McIlroy becomes a grand slam champion in the 2025 Masters Tournament. The Irishman has been electrifying, winning two PGA Tour events before April. His visit to Augusta National this year might help him enter the record books, becoming the sixth grand slam champion in the PGA Tour’s history. But where McIlroy will triumph, fans will also see the last play of another living legend at Augusta National.

Bernhard Langer confessed a few days ago that this year will be the last time he plays in the Masters Tournament. The 67-year-old has played in 40 Masters Tournaments in the past, winning it twice in 1985 and 1993. And his departure has gotten everyone in the community emotional. Even McIlroy expressed how he immensely respects Langer in an interview recently. Let’s see what he had to say.

Rory McIlroy pays his respects to a golf legend

Live from the Interview Room at Augusta National, Rory McIlroy was asked, “A question about Bernhard Langer. With this being his last Masters, I was curious how you view his legacy as a pro?” The interviewer wanted to know the Irishman’s views about Langer’s amazing career. McIlroy responded with, “Yeah, just amazing. Sort of like the Iron Man of golf. I’ve played with Bernhard a little bit. I played a couple of times with him in my rookie year on the European Tour in 2008, played with him in Germany, once, actually, which was really cool. And then I actually played with him in the third round of the 2020 Masters.” The 28x PGA Tour winner seems to have always had a great encounter with Langer whenever the two have met on and off the course.

That’s not all the Irishman had to say. McIlroy also stated how he hopes Langer has an amazing last run at Augusta National. He said, “Yeah, I mean, he’s been amazing. Just what he’s been able to do on the Champions Tour — what he did in his regular career but especially what he’s done post-50, I think just to have that competitive spirit and have that competitive fire burn for so long, I don’t know if I would be able to do that. But I think it’s unbelievably impressive. Hopefully, he gets the send-off that he wants this week.” To be frank, the best send-off the German legend can receive would be stealing the 2025 Masters Tournament from McIlroy for his third. But that might be a bit too challenging for him, having already gone way past his prime.

Langer himself also had a lot to share during his own pre-Masters interview. The golf legend was asked, “What does this week mean for you?” It was evident that Langer was a bit sentimental about stepping onto the tee at Augusta National one last time. Responding to the reporter, he said, “It’s very emotional. You can tell already my voice is breaking a bit just realizing it’s going to be my last competitive Masters. After four decades, it’s going to be bittersweet.” With a career spanning more than 5 decades, Langer seems as poised as he is poignant about his last run at Augusta National.

Interestingly, he gave the fans a peek at how he decided to call it quits. Let’s see what Bernhard Langer had to say about retiring from the Masters.

Bernhard Langer’s moment of realization

In the same interview, Bernhard Langer also spoke about how he came to realize that he had to retire. He said, “I think I knew it was time to call it quits as a player. I wanted to do it last year but I couldn’t with my Achilles surgery.” Langer had already committed to playing his last Masters in 2024. But a pickleball injury ensured that he couldn’t make the appearance. He further added, “The course is just getting too long and I’m getting shorter and shorter and I’m hitting hybrids where the other kids are hitting 9-irons and 8-irons, maybe even wedges. So I knew I wasn’t going to be in contention anymore.” Langer seems to have come to understand that he the current intensity of the Masters can have too much of a toll on him and he no l9onger can keep up with that competition.

He further added, “A few years back I asked the chairman of the club, is there a time limit? Do we age out when we’re 60? Or what is it? He said, no, you will know when it’s time to quit. It’s totally up to you.” Seems that he was unsure of how he would realize when he needed to retire. But the wise advice from the chairman makes sense to him now, as he mentioned how “It is time to quit. I’m just not competitive on this course anymore. We’re playing, what, 7,500-plus yards, and I’m used to playing courses around 7,100. I can still compete there but not at this distance.” He seems to suggest that the Champions Tour is far more suitable for him than the intense action in the Masters Tournament.

What are your thoughts about Bernhard Langer quitting the Augusta National major? Let us know in the comments section.