Gary Woodland received the PGA Tour Courage Award at the Cognizant Classic this week, marking an emotional milestone in his recovery from life-altering brain surgery. The 2019 U.S. Open champion underwent a high-risk procedure in September 2023 to remove a lesion causing debilitating health anxieties.
Doctors extracted a baseball-sized section of Woodland’s skull during the operation. His return to competition just four months later stunned medical experts and peers alike.
This award belongs to my support system – my family, medical team, and fans,Woodland stated during the ceremony at PGA National.
The PGA Tour’s prestigious honor recognizes individuals overcoming extraordinary adversity while contributing meaningfully to golf. Previous recipients include:
- Chris Kirk (alcoholism recovery)
- Erik Compton (double heart transplant recipient)
- Jarrod Lyle (posthumous leukemia honor)
PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan praised Woodland’s resilience:
Competing at elite levels while managing ongoing symptoms is nothing short of miraculous.The Tour is donating $25,000 to Woodland’s chosen charity – Champion Charities, which supports brain disease research. The Woodland family will match this contribution.
Despite ranking challenges during his 2023 comeback season, the Kansas native remains determined:
I’m fighting daily – for my kids, my career, and everyone battling brain health issues.His U.S. Open victory exemption expires this year, adding urgency to his recovery efforts.
Woodland credits his partnership with former NFL star Harris Barton – who lost both parents to brain tumors – for deepening his commitment to neurological research. The duo will team up at February’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to raise awareness.
As Woodland continues refining both his golf mechanics and cognitive therapy regimen, fans anticipate his full return to championship form. His story has become a rallying cry for athletes facing health crises worldwide.
