Imagine waking up in the middle of the night with a severe headache. One that might make you feel that you can’t make it through. That you’re breathing your last breath. This is the end for you. You might need to wake up later that morning to tee off at the Memorial Tournament. But that’s the last thing on your mind. That’s exactly what Gary Woodland went through in June 2023. The first sign of the most life-changing phase most could experience.
An MRI, a lesion diagnosis, and some seizure meds later, the headache was gone. But so was his ability to focus on the course. For weeks and weeks, Woodland couldn’t perform at the level he could. In his mind, he was playing really well. At least, that’s what he said in a recent interview. But the reality was far from glorious. In September 2023, Gary Woodland finally decided enough was enough. He consulted a specialist and went under the knife. Scared as anyone would be knowing that they have a tumor. But he took the brave step even though he knew the future was uncertain.
Woodland gave the fans a glimpse of his state of mind while he was going through this episode. Joining the crew of Fore Play Podcast Plus at TPC Sawgrass on YouTube, he was asked, “Was there a moment on the golf course that you were like ‘something is really, really wrong’?” Recollecting everything that happened during that time, Woodland said, “I believe I can do anything and I had been battling this for months.”
In his mind, Woodland was doing really well. But he explained that his caddie made him realize that the reality was much different. On their way back from an event, caddie Brennan Little told his boss, “You can’t play this way.” The PGA Tour pro explained that Little has observed his confusion and lack of focus on the course throughout the tournament. Woodland added how he had to constantly consult his caddie because he couldn’t remember what he was supposed to do at every stroke.
“I was playing so good, I just believed it was going to happen. But my caddie was like, ‘GW, you can’t be playing this way’,” said Woodland as he was given a wakeup call by Little. The 2019 U.S. Open winner confirmed that he soon went to his surgeon to tell them, “Hey, this is getting worse. It’s getting to a point where I can’t even remember… I thought I was losing my memory.” His surgeon explained to him that he isn’t losing his memory. It’s just that his brain is not functioning efficiently enough for him to think properly. A week later, Woodland learned that he was going to get a surgery.
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 27: Gary Woodland of the United States prepares to tee off on the fourth hole during the first round of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches 2025 at PGA National Resort And Spa on February 27, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
It’s hard to put oneself in Gary Woodland’s shoes as he battled an uncertain future. But it only took him four months to return to the course in January 2024. Let’s see how the 40-year-old has fared since.
Gary Woodland’s record since coming back to action
No one was expecting Gary Woodland to hit the spot as soon as he came back from rehabilitation. So, his missing the cut for the first three tournaments he played in 2024 was not surprising. However, Woodland seemed to have found his groove back at the 2024 Genesis Invitational. The Topeka local shot a 1-under par 283 in extremely challenging conditions to finish at T39. For anyone else, it might be a failure. But for Woodland, it was the first ray of light.
After a few hits and misses, he really came through in the 2024 Shriners Children’s Open, finishing T9, 6 strokes off the top. His third round performance of 6-under par 65 was the highlight of his performance. In fact, he was bound to finish at T3 if not for a drop in performance in the final round. In 2025, Woodland has made 3 cuts out of 5 and finished within the top 22 in all those events. Just goes to show how far he has come.
Having said that, do you think we will see Gary Woodland win another PGA Tour title in the near future? Share your views in the comments section.
The post ‘You Can’t Play’: U.S. Open Champ Was Pushed to Brain Surgery After Ultimate Wake-Up Call from Caddie appeared first on EssentiallySports.
