A Hard-Fought Return to East Lake
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — All Gary Woodland could do was exhale and smile. The 42-year-old had just holed a 10-foot par putt on the final green at Bellerive Country Club, sealing a spot in the Tour Championship for the first time since 2019. It was a moment years in the making for the 2019 U.S. Open champion, who has been battling PTSD since undergoing brain surgery in 2023 to remove a tumor.
Woodland entered the BMW Championship, the second FedEx Cup playoff event, outside the top 30 in the standings and needing a strong week to reach East Lake. He opened with rounds of 64 and 65 to surge into contention, then posted an even-par 70 on Saturday to sit behind 54-hole leader Wyndham Clark. On Sunday, Clark stumbled early, and Woodland found himself just one shot off the lead when he reached the 9th hole. There, he cold-topped his drive into the water and made a double bogey — a setback that might have broken a lesser spirit.
But Woodland responded with eight straight pars on the back nine, and when he stood over that 10-foot par putt on the 18th hole, he knew what it meant. After it dropped, he was asked what was going through his head. "That it's over with," he said, his voice thick with emotion.
"It's just another day, right, that I've got to keep healing," Woodland had said after his emotional win at the Texas Children's Houston Open in March, two weeks after he went public with his PTSD struggles in an interview with Golf Channel. "Today was a good day. But I'm going to keep fighting. I've got a big fight ahead of me and I'm going to keep going, but I'm proud of myself right now."
A Grueling Season, a Resilient Spirit
Woodland's season began poorly — he missed four of his first six cuts — but he has since compiled one win, six top-10s, and eight top-25s. His victory in Houston, which came two weeks after he revealed his diagnosis, was his first since his 2019 U.S. Open triumph at Pebble Beach.
"Anybody that is struggling with something, I hope they see me and don't give up," he said that day in Houston.
At Bellerive, Woodland acknowledged the challenge of the environment. He praised the St. Louis crowd for their energy but noted that the amplified atmosphere was difficult to navigate. "Yesterday there was a lot of noise and drones," he said, "I tried to block it out, but I couldn't. I learned from it. Today I tried to embrace it, and I did much better at that."
He also expressed pride in where he's heading next. "I'm going to say it's impressive from where I've been, for sure," he said. "I'm proud of where I'm going next week."
Morikawa's Tribute
Woodland's playing partner on Sunday was Collin Morikawa, the two-time major champion who tied for fourth alongside Woodland at Bellerive. Morikawa, who qualified for East Lake along with Woodland, spoke warmly about sharing the course with him.
"Gary's one of the first pros I got to kind of talk to and meet, just being out of the same agency," Morikawa said. "I don't think people realize how good of a guy he is. Like, down to earth. And to see what he's gone through, you can hear the people out there cheering for him. I played behind him this week the first two days, and just hearing that support, I know that for him is awesome."
Morikawa also credited Woodland's support system. "It all starts with the people around him, the team around him, Gabby, his kids." He described the pairing as "a very comfortable pairing for me and him" and said they built momentum off each other, though both made a couple of mistakes.
A New Chapter at East Lake
Woodland's final-round 69, matched with Morikawa's 68, left them tied for fourth. More importantly, Woodland moved to No. 18 in the FedEx Cup standings, punching his ticket to the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta — a place he hasn't competed since 2019.
The journey there has been anything but easy. From the fear and uncertainty of brain surgery to the daily weight of PTSD, Woodland has shown remarkable courage. As he put it, going public with his diagnosis felt like lifting "1,000 pounds off his back."
Now, with the exhale and smile still fresh, Woodland heads to East Lake, where the season's final chapter awaits. For a man who has fought so hard to get here, the simple joy of competing again is its own reward.
Perspectives
- Gary Woodland's perspective: Woodland's own words convey relief, pride, and a determination to keep fighting. His focus is on embracing the noise and the moment, and on the healing that comes with each day.
- Collin Morikawa's perspective: Morikawa offers a peer's view, emphasizing Woodland's character, the support of his team and family, and the inspiration his resilience provides to others on the course.