STORYLINE:

“I have no chance to win any more, and it’s time to say goodbye.”

At the age of 67 Bernhard Langer has decided that this year will be the 41st and last time he plays the Masters. He intended to retire at last year’s event, but an achilles injury forced him to sit it out.

The German icon played his first Masters in 1982 and learned the unique architecture of the Augusta National course much quicker than many of his colleagues, resulting in his first win in 1985.

“I learned fairly quickly from my mistakes and when I played my first Masters I made eleven 3 putts in two rounds which is way too much. I figured I’d got to study the greens more.”

Langer won the Masters again in 1993, and achieved 9 top tens in all – the last of those coming in 2014.

This year he does have one target to aim for, which is to become the oldest player ever to make the Masters Cut, taking that record away from his old friend Freddie Couples, who was 63 when he achieved it two years ago.

In honour of his incredible record at Augusta, Mercedes Benz has given their brand ambassador a unique ‘Masters flavoured’ car.

It features head rests celebrating his two victories, a personalized console, and an Augusta Green coloured exterior.