The 66-year-old German golf legend, who missed the cut at the last three Masters, announced his farewell on Wednesday in Hawaii where the PGA Tour Champions season begins this week.

"It's going to be my last Masters this year, I've already decided on that," Langer said in an interview on The Golf Channel.

"And it probably will be my last U.S Open, too, unless some miracle happens."

Langer's has made 40 Masters appearances, and his two triumphs at Augusta National Golf Club highlight a career that also includes 10 European Ryder Cup teams and more than 60 worldwide wins.

"It's exciting," Langer said of his final Masters start.

"At the same time, I am aware that I'm going to be hitting 3-irons and 2-hybrids when the guys are hitting 9-irons into the green, and that's tough to compete against.

"But it's a challenge, and I usually don't shy away from challenges."

Langer won his first Green Jacket in 1985, when he rallied from a four-stroke deficit at the turn in the final round and birdied four of the last seven holes to beat Curtis Strange, Seve Ballesteros and Raymond Floyd by two shots.

He triumphed at Augusta National eight years later when he made a decisive eagle on the 13th and went on to cruise to a four-stroke victory over Chip Beck.

"I asked the (Augusta National) chairman several years ago, I said, 'Is there an age limit?'," Langer said.

"'When do you tell people to stop playing?'.

"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."