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“New Testament Passage Transforms Bernhard Langer Following Major Victory”

1985 Masters Tournament: Augusta National Golf Club (Augusta, Georgia)

For PGA Tour professional Bernhard Langer, 1985 was turning into the best year of his steadily growing career. By the end of the season, he would be ranked #1 in the first ever world golf rankings and a member of Europe’s Ryder Cup championship team. But it was after his defining moment at the prestigious Masters Tournament when his life took an unexpected turn.

After a mediocre start, Langer caught fire on the final 36 holes. He entered the final round four shots behind the leader before a strong finish led to a two-stroke victory over tour veterans Seve Ballesteros, Raymond Floyd, and Curtis Strange.

But the celebration didn’t last long. In his first moments of silent contemplation the following day, Langer started to experience an unusual feeling of emptiness.

“I got up and was obviously thrilled with my win,” Langer said in the book Life in the Fairway. “I had just been married for one year. I had a beautiful young wife and lots of material things – houses, cars, basically everything that I could dream of and more. Yet there was still this void inside of me and I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. I knew there was more but I didn’t know what.”

Three days later, the 28-year old attended his first Bible study along with his wife Vikki. Longtime tour chaplain Larry Moody was sharing the New Testament story of Jesus and his conversation with a religious leader named Nicodemus. One passage in particular struck a chord.

“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3)

“That’s exactly what I needed to hear because I’d heard everything else in church,” Langer said. “I could’ve quoted certain Bible verses. I knew most of the Bible stories. I was never told that before."

That meeting sparked something inside of Langer. He got out his seldom read Bible and started attending the study group on a regular basis. Langer became a student of the Bible and centered his life on its teachings. Eight years later, when he won his second Masters on Easter Sunday, he had a much different feeling than before.

“By then, I had been a Christian for a few years,” Langer told Christian Sports Journal. “Winning the tournament on that day was very special for me."

Langer eventually retired from the PGA Tour and became a dominant member of the Champions Tour (formerly known as the Seniors Tour). After winning the 2010 Allianz Championship in his adopted hometown of Boca Raton, Florida, Langer fought off tears during an interview with the Golf Channel. His emotions were stoked as he quoted a Bible verse that one of his daughters had given him that morning.

“The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11)

“And I had a lot of peace today.”