Gary Woodland was honoured with the PGA TOUR Courage Award in February this year
In May 2023, Gary Woodland was playing through tremors, chills, and a loss of appetite—symptoms that would soon be traced to a brain lesion pressing against the part of his brain that regulates fear and anxiety. And last week, just over a year later, he shot a final-round 62 to finish runner-up at the Houston Open, proving that his return to the PGA TOUR is not ceremonial—it’s competitive.
Woodland’s diagnosis last year revealed a benign lesion that affected both his emotional stability and day-to-day functioning. Medication offered little relief, and after symptoms worsened, he elected to undergo a craniotomy in September, 2023. Surgeons removed most of the tumor and cut off its blood supply while preserving critical motor and vision functions. The surgery forced him to step away from the game for more than four months.
He returned to competition at the Sony Open in Hawaii in early 2024. While the results weren’t headline-grabbing—finishing No. 140 in the FedExCup Fall standings—just being back on the course was a milestone. Behind the scenes, Woodland was managing physical recovery, mental strain, and emotional adjustment.
This season, the 40-year-old has defied all odds. He opened with three straight top-25 finishes at the Sony Open, Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and WM Phoenix Open. But his showing at the Texas Children’s Houston Open last week was his first serious run at a title since his surgery—and his best finish since winning the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
Woodland tied the course record at Memorial Park Golf Course with a final-round 8-under 62, finishing at 19-under overall. That score earned him a share of second place alongside world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, just behind winner Min Woo Lee.
“I’ve had an operation on my brain. I have scar tissue in there now. I still have part of the tumor in there,” Woodland said after the round. “Accepting that I’m different, that’s hard—for an athlete or for anybody. But maybe different doesn’t mean damaged.”
In February, Woodland received the PGA TOUR Courage Award, given to players who’ve overcome personal tragedy, injury, or illness to make a significant impact on the game. Chris Kirk was honored last year for his battle with alcoholism. Previous recipients include Jarrod Lyle of Australia, who died after a long battle with leukemia, and two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton.
So far this season, Woodland has made the cut in six of his nine starts this season and currently ranks 46th in the FedExCup standings.
“At the end of the day, I’m fighting,” Woodland said. “This isn’t just about getting back on tour. I want to chase my dreams, and I’m not going to let what’s in my head stop me. I’m close—and I’m going to keep knocking until I break through.”
In a sport that often celebrates consistency, Gary Woodland’s journey is a powerful reminder of what resilience looks like when everything becomes uncertain. He may not have lifted the trophy in Houston, but he walked away with something far more defining — proof that the fight was worth it, and that the dream is still alive.
