Gary Woodland has clinched his first PGA Tour victory since undergoing brain surgery, marking a triumphant return to professional golf. The former U.S. Open champion secured the win at the Texas Children’s Houston Open on Sunday, a significant milestone that comes after a challenging period involving surgery and a battle with PTSD. This victory also guarantees him a spot in the upcoming Masters tournament in two weeks.
The emotional moment of triumph saw Woodland overcome with tears as the winning putt dropped, leading to a heartfelt embrace with his wife, Gabby. His journey back to the winner’s circle has been arduous, and this win signifies a profound personal and professional achievement.
Gary Woodland’s Health Journey: From Diagnosis to Recovery
Woodland’s path to this victory has been far from straightforward. In September 2023, he underwent surgery to address a lesion on his brain. The golfer had been experiencing concerning symptoms including hand tremors, chills, persistent fatigue, and waking up in a state of fear. These issues prompted an MRI scan, which revealed the presence of the lesion.
The lesion was located in a critical area of the brain responsible for regulating fear and anxiety. The diagnosis to surgery timeline spanned four months, a period Woodland described as intensely difficult.
“It was very emotional because I had gone four-and-a-half months of every day really thinking I was going to die,” Woodland shared, recounting the immense psychological toll. “The doctors kept telling me I was OK, but this thing pushing on my brain… didn’t matter if I was driving a car, on an airplane, I thought everything was going to kill me. You can imagine leading up to surgery how I felt going into having my head cut open and operated on. The fear going into that was awful.”
The Brain Surgery and Its Aftermath
The surgical procedure took place on September 19, 2023. To access and remove the majority of the lesion, surgeons had to create an opening in his skull, roughly the size of a baseball. However, a portion of the lesion had to be left in place to mitigate the risk of Woodland losing sight in his left eye or the use of the left side of his body.
Fortunately, the surgery was deemed a success as the tumor was benign. Despite the positive outcome regarding the tumor itself, Woodland has since grappled with lingering Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, which he attributes to the effects of the lesion and the surgery.
Understanding Gary Woodland’s PTSD
The aftermath of the surgery presented significant challenges for Woodland, impacting both his performance on the golf course and his daily life. Given that the lesion had affected the part of his brain controlling anxiety and fear, the post-operative period was marked by the lingering effects of these neurological changes.
The surgery took a considerable toll, leading to heightened paranoia and fear, even during routine aspects of playing golf. He recounted a specific incident during the FedEx Cup playoffs where his hypervigilance became a major concern.
“I was hypervigilant,” Woodland explained in an interview. “A walking scorer startled me, got close to me from behind. I pulled my caddie and said, ‘You can’t let anybody get behind me.’ Next thing you know, I couldn’t remember what I was doing. My eyesight started to get blurry.”
Although he managed to complete that round, the emotional distress led him to tears in the locker room. Since then, Woodland and the PGA Tour have collaborated to implement measures to enhance his safety and comfort on the course.
“The more we learn, the more we’re able to put protocols in place to help me. But it’s been a journey,” Woodland stated.
Prior to his victory at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, Woodland spoke about the profound sense of relief he experienced after publicly disclosing his struggles with PTSD.
“I literally feel like I got a thousand pounds off my back that day,” Woodland said. “It was hard to do. I was crying going into the interview, and I left feeling a thousand pounds lighter. I have a battle that I’m fighting, but it’s nice to not do that alone, I can tell you that. We’ll take it one day at a time and continue to get better. But the Tour out here is a family and they’ve been amazing. The golf world’s been amazing and I’m very thankful.”
Return to the PGA Tour
Gary Woodland made his return to the PGA Tour in January 2024, just a few months after his brain surgery. However, the reintegration into competitive play was a gradual process, as he navigated both the physical and psychological hurdles that had arisen over the preceding years.
Gary Woodland’s Career Snapshot
At 41 years old, Gary Woodland has been a professional golfer since 2007 and a PGA Tour member since 2009. His significant medical event, the brain surgery, occurred in 2023 when he was 39 years old. His recent win at the Texas Children’s Houston Open marks a significant chapter in his career, demonstrating remarkable resilience and determination.
