Gary Woodland Overcomes Brain Surgery to Chase FedEx Cup in Remarkable Season
Recovering from brain surgery, Gary Woodland is having his toughest yet proudest year, contending for the FedEx Cup after a Houston Open win.
Gary Woodland underwent a major operation in September 2023 to excise a brain lesion, leaving him with lingering anxiety and post-traumatic stress that makes moving carts and drones feel threatening on the course. Despite these hurdles, he captured the Houston Open title two weeks after a candid Golf Channel interview and has added four more top-10 finishes, including at the U.S. Open. Entering the playoffs at No. 27 in the FedEx Cup, he battled extreme heat at TPC Southwind to stay in contention for the Tour Championship.
Woodland now travels with a personal security detail and draws support from peers such as Beth Daniel and Meg Mallon. He plans to rest after the season, meet with doctors, and aims to compete in all four majors next year, believing this could become his best year on tour.
Why it matters
The story highlights an athlete's resilience in overcoming serious health issues to compete at the sport's highest level.
In this story
