AUGUSTA, Ga. — For Bernhard Langer, spiritual understanding came during a round at Amen Corner.

In 1985, this golfer from Germany secured his first Masters victory at Augusta National. During the post-win interview at Butler Cabin, he inadvertently used the name of Jesus in vain but experienced a spiritual awakening days later at a Bible study in Hilton Head, South Carolina. In 1993, his second Masters triumph coincided with Easter Sunday at this iconic American golf venue.

`This tournament held a deeper personal significance for me than most realize, especially in a spiritual sense,` Langer, now 67, commented on Friday.

He spoke in the past tense as a bogey positioned him outside the cut line, marking his 41st and final Masters participation as a competitor.

Langer`s walk off the 18th green on Friday symbolized the conclusion of a celebrated Masters career. His initial victory saw the 27-year-old from a small German village become only the third international champion, following South Africa`s Gary Player and Spain`s Seve Ballesteros. This was followed by a second green jacket eight years later in 1993. He achieved seven top-10 finishes, including one in 2014, and even in 2020, he finished under par, tying for 29th at 3-under.

Langer`s enduring career spanned a significant evolution in golf equipment. He remains the last major winner to have used a persimmon driver.

The era shifted with John Daly`s 1991 PGA Championship win at Crooked Stick, powered by a Kevlar-headed Cobra driver, and Jose Maria Olazabal`s 1994 Masters victory with a comparatively large TaylorMade metal driver.

Reflecting on Langer`s past achievements evokes nostalgia. As part of his Augusta farewell, the Champions Tour showcased a video of Langer displaying the Texan driver he used to win 32 years prior, made by the Texas Golf Co. Langer then revealed an even more cherished club, inspired by that victory.

`They presented me with a unique gift,` Langer explained. `The owner personally hand-painted this for me. It’s one of their drivers, depicting `The Last Supper,` featuring Jesus and the twelve disciples, all hand-carved. A truly unique piece.`

Nearly 2,000 miles away in Jalisco, Mexico, Dave Wood was amazed.

Wood, a multifaceted individual, with roots in Hollywood, California, was raised by a golf professional and instructor. He attended the California Institute of the Arts and briefly played golf for the University of Houston before graduating from the Glassell School of Art in Houston. Merging his golf skills with artistic interests, he began experimenting with club design. He gained mentorship from golf legends Jackie Burke and Jimmy Demaret, both Masters champions from Texas.

This led to the creation of the Texas Golf Co. and his groundbreaking Texan driver.

`We were the first to introduce loft degrees on clubs,` Wood stated. `This is standard practice in pro shops today.`

Wood and Langer`s paths crossed at Riviera Country Club in 1984. Wood, being a competitive golfer himself, could relate to players, unlike other equipment reps. In the absence of launch monitors, he relied on feedback from fellow golfers like Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman to refine his products, pioneering precision in club design long before modern technology.

He noted Langer`s particularly rigorous testing methods.

`Bernhard would instruct his caddie to stand at the range`s end with a signal system,` Wood recalled. `Impressive German engineering. Hand signals communicated the ball`s landing behavior and trajectory to Bernhard.`

Subsequently, both their careers flourished.

Demaret and Burke began directing players to Wood. Soon, notable players like Phil Mickelson and Ben Crenshaw were using clubs made by Wood, including the Texan driver Mickelson used as an amateur to win the 1991 Tucson Open. In the early 90s, Wood crafted one for Langer as well.

In 1993, Wood was present at Augusta from Sunday to Tuesday before departing for Japan. There, at midnight, he witnessed his friend win the Masters using a club he had created.

`Had he not succeeded, I might have broken a Japanese TV,` Wood joked.

He felt compelled to commemorate this achievement for both himself and Langer. Knowing Langer`s deep Christian faith, he decided to create a Texan driver engraved with `The Last Supper`.

`Leonardo da Vinci has always been a source of inspiration,` Wood explained. `Bernhard`s Augusta victory represented the ultimate challenge for me.`

He dedicated six months to crafting the special driver, addressing the challenges of persimmon wood`s porosity and engraving intricate details on the driver head`s curves. Upon completion, eager to present it to Langer, he overlooked taking photos of his creation.

This week, receiving a video of Langer showcasing the gift from a golf industry friend, Wood was astonished and touched. It revived three decades of memories, a life dedicated to golf, and the poignant end of an era with a long-time friend`s final Masters round.

`It looked exactly as I remembered,` Wood shared from his Mexican home. `It`s moving to see it still holds significance for him, among all his victories and accolades.`

Wood watched Langer`s Friday round, noting his green slacks as a tribute to his 1983 win. The crowd`s standing ovations resonated across the course. He watched Langer birdie the 12th, momentarily within the cut line, a glimmer of Amen Corner`s magic. However, a double bogey on the 15th and another bogey on the 18th changed the course.

`Approaching the 18th, my emotions were mixed, still hoping to make the cut. Even after a bogey, I wasn’t certain of being out, thinking 3-over might be sufficient,` Langer said.

Ultimately, he missed the cut by a single stroke, a putt on the 18th narrowly missing.

Knowing when to retire is particularly challenging in golf. Langer, the most decorated player in PGA Tour Champions history, has consistently outperformed younger competitors well into his 60s. He remains capable of beating younger players on favorable days and courses. However, deciding when to step away is a matter of personal conviction for great athletes.

Despite an Achilles injury from training last year, Langer maintained remarkable fitness and narrowly missed becoming the oldest player to make a major cut, a record held by Sam Snead at the 1979 PGA Championship at age 67. Langer clarified his ambition extended beyond just making the weekend cut.

`I aim to be in contention, on the leaderboard, with a chance to win. On this course, I no longer feel I can win,` Langer admitted.

Langer`s playing partner, amateur Noah Kent, averaged 322.6 yards off the tee, while Langer averaged 253.3 yards, a significant disadvantage.

`I`m hitting long irons into greens designed for shorter irons, making it hard to control ball placement on these severe greens,` Langer explained.

To compete, Langer relied on strategic misses and exceptional recovery shots, drawing on 41 years of experience at Augusta National. His performance even made him question his decision to retire. Yet, he now affirms he has found peace with it.

Leaving the 18th green with his son Jason as caddie, Langer was greeted by his wife, children, and grandchildren. `Over the past two days, walking these fairways brought a flood of emotions. Friends from around the world walked with me for a few holes, which meant a great deal,` he reflected. Dave Wood, his old friend in Mexico, understood this sentiment deeply. Wood`s `Last Supper` driver for Langer marked a significant end for him as well.

`That was the last persimmon club I personally crafted,` Wood realized. `Unforeseen at the time, but that’s life.`

Wood watched every shot of Langer`s final round, feeling unusually invested in the outcome.

`This is it,` Wood concluded. `The end of our era.`

Masters commentator Jim Nantz, who has covered the tournament since 1989, hailed Langer as `one of the greatest players in the history of this tournament.`

Reflecting on his legacy in his final press conference, Langer hoped to be remembered `as a good golfer, but also as a man of faith.`