Gary Woodland underwent surgery in September 2023 to remove a benign brain tumor and is the winner of the PGA Tour Award.
Woodland, 40, competes full-time as he continues to manage the “physical, emotional and psychological” effects of the tour. He played this week at the Cognitive Classic in Palm Beach, Florida.
emotion @Garywoodland Reflection and win the Courage Award❤️ pic.twitter.com/kcyjshqols
– PGA Tour (@pgatour) February 26, 2025
Medical tests in May 2023 showed that the woodland brain compressed the lesions. He had a cleavage in September, where doctors removed most of the tumors and cut off blood supply to prevent future growth.
“Gary’s journey is well documented and he overcomes the fact that many of the challenges associated with the initial diagnosis is simply a miracle,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a press release on Wednesday. “We reward him with the PGA Tour Courage Award for his relentless spirit and his willingness to share his story and inspire others.”
Woodland is a four-time PGA Tour champion and won the 2019 U.S. Open. He returned to the game in January 2024 and finished three top 25 in 26 games, including T9 from the Shriners Children’s Open last season.
In 2024, he finished three top 25 in four games.
As part of the award, Woodland received $25,000, contributing to the charity of his choice. He has designated the money as the Champions Charity, which engages in research and supports patients with brain tumors, trauma or disease. Woodland and his wife Gabby said they would match the donation.
