What happened to Bernhard Langer? A look at the ace golfer’s injury as he prepares for PGA Tour Champions comeback

Bernhard Langer, the timeless golf legend, is gearing up for his comeback to professional golf after three months. Langer took a break after he tore his left Achilles tendon in January.

Langer is looking forward to playing in PGA Tour Champions’ event Insperity Invitational. The tournament is scheduled from May 3 to 5, 2024 at the Tournament Course at the Woodlands Country Club in the Woodlands, Texas. The tournament has a total purse of $2,700,000 with the winner taking home $405,000.

The PGA Tour Champions posted a video on X with an interview with Bernard Langer, where the legend opened up about the injury and the treatment he had to go through to recover. Langer said that he got the injury while playing pickleball with his friends.

“Part of my training is doing other things, like ping-pong and other sports. So I played pickleball with some of my friends. My opponent lobbed me and I did a few steps back, jumped up and hit it and as I landed, I heard this loud noise and pain in my leg.”
“I went down on the ground and at first I thought I hit something walking backwards, but as I looked around me there was nothing there and I realized most likely it’s a torn Achilles tendon.”
Bernhard Langer went through surgery the next day after suffering the injury. He explained that his immediate response was to delve into the meaning of the situation. He wondered how long he wouldn’t be able to play golf and if he would ever return.

He has won on the senior circuit record 46 times, among them he emerged victorious twice on the Insperity Invitational in 2014 and 2018.

Bernhard Langer got inspired by the Jets’ Aaron Rodgers who tore his Achilles tendon last year

In the aforementioned video posted by PGA Tour Champions on X, Bernhard Langer further said that after the surgery he followed the protocol given by his surgeon and his PT to recover quickly and totally. He wore a boot identical to a ski boot on his left leg until March when he could stand on his feet. He said:

“That was an amazing feeling, that I can actually stand again because I didn’t stand for weeks.”

Bernhard Langer drew inspiration from Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback for the New York Jets who got injured at the beginning of the NFL season last year. Rodgers went through a similar surgery and was able to play within three months. Langer said:

“That lifted my spirits, hearing he was back on the field throwing the ball after eight or nine weeks. That encouraged me that I might be able to do something similar.”

Langer expressed that he could remain productive for a few more years and had a lot of good golf left in him.

“My goal was to be the best that I can be, and I think if I get back to being at my best again, even at my age, I still think I’m competitive. And I still think I can win on certain golf courses.”

Langer would be seen next week in Insperity Invitational. In his golf career, Bernhard Langer has had more than 130 global tournament wins, 3 PGA TOUR triumphs and 12 PGA TOUR Champions majors.