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What a week it was for Gary Woodland in Houston.
The 40-year-old returned to the PGA Tour after having brain surgery 18 months ago, and Sunday at the 2025 Texas Children's Houston Open, he tied a course record with an 8-under 62 at Memorial Park Golf Course to finish at 19 under for the week.
He hit an iron to 2 feet on the 18th hole and got a raucous ovation from the gallery as he walked to the green to tap-in his birdie.
The finish is his best on the PGA Tour since returning from surgery, and he's going to move into the top 50 of the FedEx Cup standings.
"This week was unbelievable, to be honest with you," Woodland said. "The fans were absolutely amazing. I battled some fatigue and stuff out there and they pushed me, they really did. I fed off their energy. Their love and support really carried me especially over the weekend. Today was amazing and I needed that boost, it was nice."
The 62 was also his best round on Tour since the 2018 CIMB Classic, when he shot 61 in the second round. Sami Valimaki also shot a 62 on Sunday.
Woodland underwent a craniotomy on Sept. 19, 2023, after doctors discovered a lesion pressing on the part of the brain that controls fear and anxiety. That's just another reason why his comeback has been so impressive.
"It's hard for me to get ahead thinking-wise because I don't have the stamina to do it," Woodland said. "So a lot of breath work, a lot of things to slow everything down. 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."
Woodland, who won the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, was awarded the PGA Tour's Courage Award last month ahead of the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.
His best finish before Sunday's T-2 finish alongside world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was T-9 at the 2023 Shriners Children's Open. Netflix's Full Swing Season 3 features Woodland in Episode 6 and documents his recovery process and some of the challenges he faced.
Yet Sunday was special, another stepping stone for Woodland as he tries to find his way back into the winner's circle.
"It's completely different. 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," Woodland said.
"My family's here. My kids, my son's in first grade, so they don't travel much anymore. 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."
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Gary Woodland records best finish since returning from brain surgery
Continue reading...
The 40-year-old returned to the PGA Tour after having brain surgery 18 months ago, and Sunday at the 2025 Texas Children's Houston Open, he tied a course record with an 8-under 62 at Memorial Park Golf Course to finish at 19 under for the week.
He hit an iron to 2 feet on the 18th hole and got a raucous ovation from the gallery as he walked to the green to tap-in his birdie.
200 yards2 feet!@GaryWoodland throws a dart on the 72nd hole to tie the course record @TCHouOpen.
NBC pic.twitter.com/jSQpkkZoOr
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 30, 2025
The finish is his best on the PGA Tour since returning from surgery, and he's going to move into the top 50 of the FedEx Cup standings.
"This week was unbelievable, to be honest with you," Woodland said. "The fans were absolutely amazing. I battled some fatigue and stuff out there and they pushed me, they really did. I fed off their energy. Their love and support really carried me especially over the weekend. Today was amazing and I needed that boost, it was nice."
The 62 was also his best round on Tour since the 2018 CIMB Classic, when he shot 61 in the second round. Sami Valimaki also shot a 62 on Sunday.
Woodland underwent a craniotomy on Sept. 19, 2023, after doctors discovered a lesion pressing on the part of the brain that controls fear and anxiety. That's just another reason why his comeback has been so impressive.
"It's hard for me to get ahead thinking-wise because I don't have the stamina to do it," Woodland said. "So a lot of breath work, a lot of things to slow everything down. 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."
Woodland, who won the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, was awarded the PGA Tour's Courage Award last month ahead of the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.
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His best finish before Sunday's T-2 finish alongside world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was T-9 at the 2023 Shriners Children's Open. Netflix's Full Swing Season 3 features Woodland in Episode 6 and documents his recovery process and some of the challenges he faced.
Yet Sunday was special, another stepping stone for Woodland as he tries to find his way back into the winner's circle.
"It's completely different. 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," Woodland said.
"My family's here. My kids, my son's in first grade, so they don't travel much anymore. 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."
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Gary Woodland records best finish since returning from brain surgery
Continue reading...
