Masters great Bernhard Langer bids fond Augusta farewell 

From his opening tee shot to his final putt, this was an emotional Masters farewell for Bernhard Langer. Despite the disappointment of missing the cut, gratitude was his overwhelming feeling.

Playing in his 41st and final appearance at Augusta National, the two-time Masters champion missed an 11-foot par putt at the last which would have seen him progress to the final two rounds.

Still unclear at the time whether he had done enough to make the weekend, Langer received a standing ovation from the patrons and a warm embrace from Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley as he left the 18th green for the final time as a competitor.

“It was a very special last two days for me,” said Langer, who won the Green Jacket in 1985 and 1993.

“Even starting off walking to the first tee [on Thursday], I got a standing ovation and the people really, you know, applauded. I almost teared up and almost started crying right there, and I said, ‘Come on, get it together, you've got some golf to play’.

“It kind of kept going. There were lots of standing ovations throughout the golf course in various spots.

“Today coming up 18 was mixed emotions because I was still inside the cut line, and even when I made bogey, I wasn’t sure I’m totally out of there.”

After opening with a two-over-par 74, Langer appeared on track to extend his Augusta swansong by another two days as a birdie at the par three 12th – his third of the day – lifted him to even par.

However, a double bogey at the par five 15th after seeing his approach spin back into the water meant he needed a par at the 18th to make the cut on the number, ultimately just failing to get up and down from the left of the green.

But there were no regrets on what he described as a “day of celebration".

“There were lots of emotions flooding through my mind the last two days as I was walking down the fairways,” added Langer, who had his son, Jason, on his bag.

“I saw my wife, I saw my four kids, and I saw two of my grandkids came out and supported me, and friends from Germany, and family from Germany. Just even friends from all over the world, literally, were walking a few holes with me. It meant a great deal.

“I just have so many wonderful memories of playing this golf course. I fell in love with it immediately when I played my first round here, and was fortunate to win twice, and come back here for many, many years. Very special.”

At 67, Langer, who made his Masters debut in 1982 and made the weekend every year from 1984-2002, would have overtaken Fred Couples as the oldest player to make the cut.

While proud of his performance, Langer reiterated that playing hybrids instead of short irons like the majority of the field due the course’s length means he is at peace with his decision to draw the curtain on his storied Augusta career.

“There were times the last couple days when I thought, you know, did you make the right decision here, or should you have waited another year or two with your last Masters?" Langer admitted. “Because I was, you know, playing quite well and very smart.

“But I think looking back, it is still the right decision, just for the reasons I shared a minute ago. It's just the golf course is too long for me.”