Gary Woodland was named the recipient of the PGA Tour’s Courage Award on Wednesday.
Woodland, 40, underwent brain surgery in Sept. 2023 to remove a brain lesion and continues to manage symptoms as he competes on the PGA Tour. Woodland won the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and is a four-time PGA Tour winner.
The PGA Tour Courage Award is presented to a person who, through courage and perseverance, has overcome extraordinary adversity, such as personal tragedy or debilitating injury or illness, to make a significant and meaningful contribution to the game of golf. Woodland is the seventh recipient of the PGA Tour Courage Award, which was established in 2012, joining Erik Compton (2013), Jarrod Lyle (2015), Gene Sauers (2017), Morgan Hoffmann (2020), D.J. Gregory (2022) and Chris Kirk (2023).
Woodland formally received the award during a presentation Wednesday at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, and he was surprised Wednesday morning in an exclusive interview with Michael Strahan on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
“Gary’s journey has been well documented, and the fact that he has overcome so many challenges associated with his initial diagnosis is nothing short of miraculous,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a release. “We are so proud to honor him with the PGA Tour Courage Award recognizing his relentless spirit and his willingness to share his story and inspire others.”
The Courage Award includes a contribution of $25,000 from the Tour to a charity of the award recipient’s choice. Woodland chose Champion Charities, an organization dedicated to research and patient support in the following areas: brain tumor, brain disease and brain trauma. Woodland and his wife, Gabby, will match the donation, with $50,000 going to Champion Charities.
Woodland, a native of Topeka, Kansas, turned pro in 2007 after graduating from the University of Kansas. He joined the PGA Tour in 2009. Woodland has represented the U.S. at the 2019 Presidents Cup. He was an all-state high school basketball player in Kansas and started his collegiate career on a basketball scholarship at Division II Washburn University before transferring to Kansas to compete on the men’s golf team.
Woodland first experienced symptoms in May 2023, then he underwent testing that revealed a brain lesion pressing on the part of the brain that controlled fear and anxiety. As symptoms worsened and medication didn’t help, Woodland underwent a craniotomy on Sept. 19, 2023. During surgery, doctors were able to remove a majority of the tumor, confirm it was benign and cut off the blood supply to prevent future growth.
Woodland returned to competition in Jan. 2024 at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He recorded three top-25s in 26 starts in 2024, his best finish being T-9 at the Shriners Children’s Open, his first top-10 since his initial diagnosis. Woodland continues to manage physical, emotional and mental symptoms as recovery progresses.
Netflix’s Full Swing Season 3 features Woodland in Episode 6 and documents his recovery process from surgery and some of the challenges and struggles he faced.
Source: Golfweek
