Last year in July, Bernhard Langer had his final foray with the DP World Tour after an incredible 50-year run. At Golfclub München Eichenried, he played his final event, carding a brilliant opening 71 and then playing through the pain in a second-round 73 in front of huge galleries. Though it didn’t go as planned as the star missed the cut, Langer got the biggest cheers of the week, holing a gutsy 9-footer on the last for a par before leaving the green to a rapturous ovation.

The 66-year-old showed signs of emotion as he played the 18th and had to fight back tears as he spoke after his round, reflecting on a journey and a career that has seen him and the DP World Tour give each other so much. “It’s hard to put into words,” Langer said. “It’s kind of been a dream come true for me, growing up in a village of 800 people where nobody knew what golf was.” So after finishing his career overseas, is Langer also thinking about scaling back on the PGA Tour Champions?

It certainly doesn’t appear so. In November last year, Langer shot lower than his age to snatch victory at the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship and extend his record of winning a title every year on the PGA Tour Champions’ circuit to 18 years. The 67-year-old holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole to card a five-under-par 66 and seal a one-stroke victory on 18 under over defending champion Steven Alker and Richard Green. It was the 47th title Langer has won on the over-50s circuit and the first since tearing his Achilles tendon in early 2024. With such a storied career, the veteran has a very simple take on retirement.

“A lot of people say, why don’t you retire? I guess I could, but I love the game of golf and I love to compete, and I’m still good enough to compete and be up there where I think I can win tournaments,” Langer said. However, according to him, “family is even more important” apart from all other factors in sustaining a career. It seems, for Langer, one cornerstone of this success is his wife Vikki Carol, who he has been married for more than four decades. Recently, the couple celebrated another milestone of their journey together.

On January 23, Langer shared a heartwarming post on Instagram to celebrate their 41st wedding anniversary, posting a message alongside a romantic photo from their snowy wedding day, “Celebrating my 41st anniversary with the woman I fell in love with 42 years ago. Happy Anniversary, Vikki.” Langer and Vikki met in the early days of his golfing career in Florida, and it was love at first sight.

Despite the odds of being from different countries – Langer is German, while Vikki is American – their love knew no borders. Over the years, they’ve built a beautiful life together, with four children and a marriage that’s only grown stronger with time. As Langer looks to the future, his focus remains on his golfing career, with his sights set on the 2025 Masters. With an impressive resume, Langer’s passion for the sport shows no signs of waning. Retirement plans, for now, have been put on the back burner, as Langer’s drive to compete and win remains as strong as ever. Amid that, fans came out in large numbers to share the joy of Langer’s special day.

Fans are showering love on Langer’s personal milestone

Starting off strong with what this fan said, “Wonderful! Both of you are truly admirable and a perfect example of the impossible is nothing. ❤️”, while the other said, “Happy Anniversary to you and Vikki, may the Lord bless you with many more years and wonderful memories!!” Well, there’s never a lack of awesome memories when it comes to Bernhard Langer and his wife Vikki Carol in their four decades of marriage and four kids.

From romantic moments like sharing a kiss at Augusta National after Langer’s tournament win in 1985, to triumphant celebrations like posing with the Charles Schwab Cup after his season championship win, and proudly holding the trophy together after the Senior Open Championship, their love and joy are palpable in every photo.

One fan said something that must be going on everyone’s mind, “So much to look up to! Another 40 years to go! while many were simply just congratulating the couple on their special day by saying, “Congratulations ❤️🙏🏻.” The golfer never missed on thanking his wife for being in his life. Last year on their anniversary, Langer made a post on Instagram with PGA Tour Champions and wrote, “Celebrating 40 years of marriage today ❤️ Happy anniversary, @Bernhard.Langer and Vikki!”.

This type of love and dedication is hard to find and even harder to hold on to, that’s why this fan’s comment perfectly summaries the moment as they say, “Congrats on playing the toughest game to play well over so many years and all the best for the future.” 

We wish the beautiful couple heartily! Our comment section is at your service if you wish to do the same.