Gary Woodland, a past victor of the U.S. Open, revealed on Monday that he has been contending with post-traumatic stress disorder since his cerebral surgery in 2023. During a poignant interview with Golf Channel, he expressed that he “cannot expend effort” continuing to conceal his condition.
The surgical procedure was performed on Woodland in September 2023, prompted by examinations conducted several months prior which indicated a lesion impinging upon his brain. Although his seizures ceased subsequent to the intervention and he eventually rejoined the PGA Tour early in 2024, he stated that he continued to grapple with symptoms and received a PTSD diagnosis approximately a year ago.
“Each week I appear, and everyone expresses such excitement and joy that I have returned. I am told this constantly: ‘It’s wonderful to see you overcome this. It’s wonderful to see you fully recovered,’ ” Woodland stated, responding to Golf Channel’s inquiry about his decision to publicly disclose the diagnosis. “While I value that affection and encouragement, internally I feel as though I am perishing. I feel as though I am perpetuating a falsehood. And I no longer wish to expend effort on that. My desire is to direct my energy toward myself and my recuperation, my aspirations in this field, my loved ones. I do not wish to squander energy concealing this.”
Woodland recounted participating in the Procore Championship the previous autumn, a competition many American golfers utilized as a preparatory event for the Ryder Cup, where he served as a vice captain. Woodland mentioned that during the second round, the walking scorer accompanying his group approached him from behind, causing him alarm.
“I moved to the side, I gestured to my caddie and stated, ‘This condition is affecting me, man. You must not permit anyone to approach me from behind,’ ” he informed Golf Channel. “Subsequently, I found myself unable to recall my actions. My vision began to blur. And one hole afterward, I simply declared, ‘Butch, I cannot cope with this.’ And I began weeping profusely in the center of the fairway. It was my opportunity to strike the ball, and I was incapable of doing so.”
Woodland chose to continue the game. His caddie provided him with sunglasses in an attempt to conceal his distress; he retreated to restrooms to weep, and immediately upon the conclusion of his round, he proceeded directly to his vehicle and departed.
“Some days are arduous,” he uttered, his voice frequently quivering during the entire Golf Channel discussion. “Weeping in the scorer’s trailer. Rushing to my vehicle to conceal it because I am fearful… I no longer desire to exist in such a manner. If I am experiencing an emotion, I wish to release it, to allow it to pass.”
Woodland, the victor of the U.S. Open in 2019, commended the PGA Tour for the assistance it has offered, encompassing protocols designed to guarantee his security and additional protection accompanying him during his games. The 41-year-old has adhered to a complete agenda and is participating this week in the Players Championship.
When queried about the potential benefit of continuing to compete, Woodland expressed his conviction that it would.
“Physicians have indicated that in an optimal scenario, I would likely not be participating,” he communicated to Golf Channel. “I would likely not be situated in a demanding, excessively stimulating setting. However, my retort was that in an optimal world, I would not possess this (PTSD). This (golf) represents my aspiration, this is my chosen path, and irrespective of the difficulty, I intend to play.”