A Season with a Bigger Meaning

As Rory McIlroy charged back to tie for the lead, I began planning to write about how the Player of the Year conversation was not closed, but after he faltered late, alas, it is. And that also goes for Wyndham Clark. The Ruiner won again, and despite what Frank Nobilo says, the Player of the Year conversation is over because Scottie Scheffler, who started with a very poor 72 (+2), and sat T-43, ended up with a backdoor T-12 overall. He is still the Player of the Year.

But the story that was not so widely reported is that Gary Woodland is headed back to the TOUR Championship for the first time since 2019.

Gary Woodland was on top of the world in 2019; he won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and played for Tiger Woods’ Presidents Cup team at Royal Melbourne – that team would win the Sunday singles session 8-4 to come back and win the event 16-14.

Since then, it has been a struggle. In the summer of 2023, he announced he had been diagnosed with a brain tumor – which he had known about for three months prior and played through. However, medication treatment was not sufficient, and thus he underwent brain surgery, so serious he wrote his wife and children letters in case he didn’t survive. The surgery was somewhat successful, in that most of the tumor was removed, but the part that was left remains on the part of the brain that controls your emotions.

In the years since, G-Dub has dealt with fear and anxiety, and he revealed he had been diagnosed with PTSD in March of this year. Later that month, he won the Houston Open. (Full disclosure, I wish I had started this page sooner and written this article after that victory.) After his victory, he discussed what he had been fighting on the course, specifically during the second round of the tournament. “I battled the last 10 holes thinking people were trying to kill me. ... People ask me, ‘How was the win?’ The one thing I know is having this brain tumor and having PTSD, it doesn't matter if I win or lose.”

Gary’s victory was a tear-jerker for all, and today, he advanced to next week’s TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, GA. His qualification means he was one of the best 30 golfers on the PGA TOUR this season, a sign that he is most definitely back. 

G-Dub, we are all so happy to see you back. Go make a run for it next week!