The 2019 US Open winner, who opened up on his emotions in the latest Netflix series, finished tied second at the Texas Children’s Houston Open after going under knife only 18 months ago
Gary Woodland declared he was back “in control of my thoughts and my emotions” after contending for a PGA Tour title for the first time since open brain surgery. The 2019 US Open champion had a tumour the size of a baseball removed in September 2023 and is still on medication.
And in the latest Netflix Full Swing series, the emotional American revealed that five days before the operation he wrote letters to his three young children and wife Gabby telling them how much he loved them in case he did not survive.
“Those letters were the hardest things I have ever done,” said the former world No.12. Woodland, now 40, returned to the PGA Tour only four months later but struggled last season and still suffered from headaches.
READ MORE: Colin Montgomerie reckons ex-Premier League star is good enough to play on PGA Champions TourREAD MORE: PGA Tour star’s two-word remark as Rory McIlroy takes aim at his ‘unacceptable’ actions
But after a slow recovery – and receiving the PGA Tour Courage Award in February – Woodland equalled the course record with a final round 62 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open to finish tied second with world No.1. He was a shot behind Aussie Min Woo Lee who won his first PGA Tour title – and Woodland’s best performance since his 2019 Major triumph at Pebble Beach.
The world no.94 Woodland said: “It was great just to get those juices flowing again, just to see some results for that matter.
“I’ve worked my tail off when I’ve been able to. It’s one thing to tell yourself and to believe it, but it’s another thing to see it in person. I saw and felt everything that I wanted to feel today.
“I was in really good control of my thoughts and my emotions, which hasn’t been the case for me for a long time. With that said, today was a great day for me.
“I’m tired, I’m exhausted, I need to rest. I’m a little overwhelmed right now. I haven’t been in contention for a long time, but it takes a lot for me to slow everything down, and I was able to do that but it’s a lot of work and I’m very tired right now. So I’m looking forward to getting into bed and getting some rest.
“The last time I felt in control was probably the U.S. Open 2019. It’s been a while for me, I battled it. It was as good as I felt on a golf course I’ve felt in a long time. The game was great, but I was able to slow down, I was able to slow my thoughts down and it’s been a while for me for that. So excited for where I’m at.”
Woodland, who enjoyed “unbelievable” support in Texas, has returned to golf with a new perspective on life and golf. “It’s completely different,” he said. “I’m thankful, I’m thankful to be out here. I am extremely blessed to play this game for a living, to travel the world, to be around the people that are out here that are supporting me. And my family’s here.
“This is spring break for them and they were here. I thought they were leaving, so to see them when I got done, that’s what I’m fighting for, right? That’s why I’m out here, to prove to them that you can overcome anything and you’ve just got to keep fighting, and I think I showed a little bit of that today.”
