Gary Woodland: Brain Surgery, PTSD, and Comeback Victory

For a professional golfer, the gap between a routine medical scan and brain surgery can feel like a lifetime. Gary Woodland lived that gap — and then spent years fighting an invisible opponent long after the tumor was gone. Here’s how a U.S. Open champion faced a brain lesion, grappled with PTSD, and eventually won again on the PGA Tour, two and a half years after going under the knife.

Major Championship Wins: 1 (2019 U.S. Open) ·
PGA Tour Wins: 5 ·
Brain Surgery: September 2023 ·
Return to Win: March 2026 (Houston Open) ·
Children: 2 ·
Wife: Gabby Woodland

Nine biographical facts, one pattern: Woodland’s career is defined by resilience through a health crisis that few elite athletes face publicly.

The pattern: Woodland’s biographical summary shows a career built on performance, then interrupted by a health crisis that redefined his path.

What was Gary Woodland’s illness?

In 2023, Gary Woodland was diagnosed with a brain lesion that pressed against his brain tissue and caused partial seizures. Tests revealed the lesion was responsible for fear-related symptoms and seizure activity (Wall Street Journal). Woodland underwent brain surgery in September 2023 to remove the lesion.

What type of brain tumor did Gary Woodland have?

• Reports from the PGA Tour have described the growth as a “brain lesion” rather than using a precise tumor classification (PGA TOUR)
• Some media outlets have speculated it may have been a low-grade glioma, but Woodland and his medical team have not publicly confirmed the exact histological type
• The surgery successfully removed the lesion, stopping the seizures — but the psychological effects persisted

How was the tumor discovered?

• Woodland began experiencing episodes of intense fear and what he described as “partial seizures” (ESPN)
• Medical imaging revealed a brain lesion that required surgical intervention
• He underwent the procedure in September 2023 at an undisclosed medical facility

The implication: Woodland’s medical journey reveals the gap between surgical success and psychological recovery — removing the lesion stopped the seizures but did not erase the trauma.

What has happened to Gary Woodland?

Woodland’s story since 2023 is a four-act drama: diagnosis, surgery, silence, and a comeback few predicted. Here’s the timeline.

Timeline of Woodland’s health battle

• May 21, 1984: Born in Topeka, Kansas (Golf Monthly)
• 2007: Turned professional after playing college golf at the University of Kansas
• June 2019: Won the U.S. Open, his first major championship
• August/September 2023: Diagnosed with brain tumor; underwent surgery in September (ESPN)
• 2024: Returned to PGA Tour competition (ESPN)
• March 2026: Publicly disclosed his PTSD diagnosis in an interview with Golf Channel (PGA TOUR)
• March 2026: Won the Texas Children’s Houston Open by five shots (ESPN)

His diagnosis and surgery

• Woodland reported experiencing episodes of intense fear and partial seizures before the surgery
• A brain lesion was discovered through medical imaging, prompting the September 2023 surgery (Wall Street Journal)
• The surgery successfully removed the lesion but left Woodland grappling with lingering anxiety and flashbacks

Struggle with PTSD

• Woodland later revealed he was formally diagnosed with PTSD about a year before his March 2026 public disclosure (PGA TOUR — official circuit news arm)
• He experienced ongoing anxiety, flashbacks, and fear — symptoms that persisted even after the seizures stopped (ESPN)
• He told Golf Channel he was “done wasting energy trying to hide” his condition
• Woodland has used therapy and family support to manage his PTSD while competing

Return to competitive golf and win at Houston Open

• Woodland returned to the PGA Tour at the start of 2024 (ESPN)
• He finished runner-up at the Houston Open in 2024, showing signs of form
• In March 2026, he won the Texas Children’s Houston Open with a tournament-record score of 21-under 259 (ESPN)
• His rounds: 64-63-65-67 (PGA TOUR YouTube)
• The win was his first PGA Tour victory since the 2019 U.S. Open (PGA TOUR)
• He finished five shots ahead of runner-up Nicolai Højgaard

How many children does Gary Woodland have?

Gary Woodland and his wife Gabby have two children — a daughter born in 2019 and a son born in 2021 (Golf Monthly). Woodland has frequently credited his family for providing critical support during his recovery from brain surgery and his ongoing management of PTSD.

The trade-off: Woodland’s family life gave him an anchor during his hardest months, but it also meant he had to watch his own children grow up while he was fighting for his health and career.

Who is Pro Golfer Gary Woodland’s Wife?

Gabby Woodland, formerly Gabby Granville, married Gary in 2015. The couple met while both were students at the University of Kansas, where Gabby played college basketball (Golf Monthly — golf lifestyle and biography outlet).

• Gabby is a former college basketball player who competed for the University of Kansas
• She and Gary married in 2015
• They have two children together, a daughter born in 2019 and a son born in 2021
• Gabby was a visible presence at the 2026 Houston Open, celebrating with Gary after his victory
• Woodland has said his wife and children were “everything” during his recovery from brain surgery and PTSD (ESPN)

The implication: Gabby Woodland’s background as a college athlete likely gave her unique insight into the demands of competitive sports, which became critical when Gary faced the fight of his life off the course.

Why does Gary Woodland have PTSD?

Woodland developed PTSD as a direct result of his brain tumor diagnosis and the surgery that followed. The condition was triggered not only by the physical threat to his life but also by the lasting psychological effects of the experience (ESPN).

What triggers his PTSD

• Woodland has described experiencing “fear” and “anxiety” that persisted long after the lesion was removed (PGA TOUR)
• Flashbacks and intrusive thoughts are common symptoms he has navigated
• The initial fear episodes before surgery created a lasting psychological imprint

How he manages it

• Woodland has spoken about using therapy to manage his PTSD
• He credits his family — particularly wife Gabby and their two children — for emotional support
• He has said he is “done wasting energy trying to hide” his condition, choosing openness over concealment (ESPN)

His openness about mental health

• Woodland publicly discussed his PTSD for the first time in March 2026, in an interview with Golf Channel (PGA TOUR)
• His disclosure was part of a broader trend of professional athletes speaking openly about mental health challenges
• He has become a de facto advocate for athletes facing psychological struggles after medical trauma

The pattern: Woodland’s PTSD is not a weakness — it is the psychological cost of surviving a condition that forced him to confront his own mortality. His recovery shows that healing is not linear, and performance can coexist with ongoing mental health treatment.

“I’m done wasting energy trying to hide. This is who I am now, and I’m going to deal with it head-on.”

— Gary Woodland, speaking to Golf Channel about his PTSD (ESPN)

Woodland’s public disclosure creates a new benchmark: a PGA Tour winner managing PTSD can still hoist a trophy. For other athletes struggling with post-surgical psychological trauma, the message is concrete — you don’t have to hide it to win.

After his emotional Houston Open win, fans seeking more details on Woodlands brain tumor journey will find an in-depth account of his surgery and recovery.

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Related reading

• Scottie Scheffler: Biography, Wife, Faith & Net Worth — A profile of a fellow PGA Tour star for readers interested in golfer biographies.
• Brett Favre: Parkinson’s Diagnosis and Welfare Scandal — An athlete health and resilience story that parallels Woodland’s journey.