Royal Dublin
Bernhard Langer
Longevity and an enduring capacity for winning tournaments are the hallmarks of the remarkable Bernhard Langer.
Born in August, 1957, the native of Anhausen, Germany, turned professional in 1972 and almost five decades later, he retains a level of competitiveness which testifies to his iron will and sheer love of the game.
Bernhard’s record speaks for itself. Two regular Major Championships - The Masters of 1985 and 1993 - were backed up by success on every continent.
He won 42 times on the European Tour, and three times on the PGA Tour, including those victories at Augusta.
He played ten times on European Ryder Cup teams, finishing on the winning team on five occasions, and famously captained Europe to an overwhelming defeat of the USA at Oakland Hills in 2004.
Like Gary Player before him, Bernhard has criss-crossed all time zones in travelling the world many times over to compete and win titles, comfortably breaking the 100 barrier in total tournament victories.
The pride of German golf rose to international fame during the Eighties, and in that respect, Bernhard’s performances in the three Carrolls Irish Opens staged at Royal Dublin were out of the top drawer.
He had to bow the knee to Seve Ballesteros in the 1983 Irish Open, but Bernhard made amends by his remorseless conquering of the Spaniard and the rest of the field in 1984.
The victory by four shots over his closest challenger Mark James was all the more impressive given that he had won the KLM Dutch Open the previous week.
Bernhard did pretty much everything he could to retain his title in 1985 but there was no accounting for the magic touch of Seve Ballesteros who came from three behind with four to play to earn a play off and beat the German in a playoff.
However, it is a tribute to Royal Dublin experience he enjoyed from 1983-85 that Langer remained hugely enthusiastic about the course and the Irish golfing public who attended those tournaments.
“I always enjoy playing here. The crowds are unbelievable. They cheer you when you go on the tee. They cheer you after your drive. They cheer you when you walk up the fairway and onto the green. You walk seven thousand yards and they cheer you every step of the way. It’s incredible,” he said.
Never as flamboyant as Seve, Bernhard nevertheless deserved the admiration and respect he received from the Irish Open galleries.
When he entered Seniors golf, there was no diminution of his performance level.
Bernhard carried on where he had left off at the Over-50 level, winning 11 Senior Majors up to 2019, and 29 PGA Tour Champions events.
The Royal Dublin Golf Club
North Bull Island Nature Reserve , Dollymount, Dublin 3 , Ireland
Phone: +353 1 833 6346 Fax: +353 1 833 6504
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