MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 6, 2023

Bernhard Langer

Quick Quotes

Q. Can you give me some recollections of thoughts about today and also this extraordinary anniversary of yours.

BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah, today was tough day. I didn't make one birdie. Even though I played pretty decent. Hit a lot of quality shots. But hit two or three loose shots that cost me a bogey every time. And I didn't putt well. I didn't make any putts to make a couple of birdies and get my score back. So I'm 3-over and that's not a dream score for me. So I have to do better tomorrow.

Q. What are your memories of '83?

BERNHARD LANGER: '83? Yeah, that was my first time here. No. '83 I wasn't even here.

Q. '93.

BERNHARD LANGER: '93, yeah, I have several fond memories of '93. Yeah, I had a four-shot lead going into Sunday and it dwindled down to one and then played the back nine really well. Came up 18 with a four-shot lead. So I really enjoyed the knowing that I'm going to win and enjoyed the standing ovation from all the fans around the 18th fairway and the 18th green. And what was also special was that it was Easter Sunday and I became a Christian several years before that, so that made it more emotional and more meaning full for me.

Q. I remember coming to your house that night to celebrate. And I also remember that the next morning you got up a bit early and swept up a pile of newspapers to record your victory. Do you remember that?

BERNHARD LANGER: No. (Laughing.) Sorry.

Q. What is it that keeps you going? Why, what has been, what have you got that other people haven't got?

BERNHARD LANGER: I don't know what I've got. I just, I enjoy the game of golf and enjoy competing and I'm still healthy enough to do it and I'm good enough to do it. So I don't see any reason why I should quit.

Q. What about next year when you're 65? Do you intend to try and play?

BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah, I'm intending to -- I'm 65 right now. I'll be 66 next year. So I'm intending to play next year, yeah. Otherwise I would have said goodbye to this year like Sandy Lyle and Larry Mize did. But, no, yeah, I think I still have a lot of game and I still think that I can play around here.

Q. I don't think there's any sort ever unwritten rule that --

BERNHARD LANGER: There isn't, no. I asked the chairman several years ago. I said, Is there an age limit or, you know, when do you tell people to stop playing? And he said, Listen, Bernhard, you will know yourself when it's time to stop. And I hope he's right. I don't want to make a fool of myself. If you see me shooting 80s and 82s and stuff around here then it's definitely time to call it a day.

Q. What's the hardest part of playing now?

BERNHARD LANGER: The hardest part here is hitting very long clubs into the greens and not reaching the par-5s in two. That makes the golf course play five, six, seven shots harder than it did when I was a young man.

Q. Could I ask you about your playing partner Ben Carr? First time here. What was your impression of how he handled himself? Not necessarily the score he shot, but just how he handled himself.

BERNHARD LANGER: No, I thought he's a very talented young man. He's got a lot of, he's got a great future ahead of him. He's got a lot of game. I know he wasn't totally pleased with his score, but that's a different story. He can hit it long, he can hit it straight. He's got a good short game. Seems to be a nice young man and mentally pretty good. So I see a bright future ahead of him if he stays healthy and continues his way.