Gary Woodland Celebrates Emotional Victory at Houston Open
Gary Woodland marked the end of a seven-year quest for his fifth PGA Tour title with an emotional win at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. This victory comes on the heels of his recovery from brain surgery.
Woodland carded a 3-under 67 at Memorial Park Golf Course, finishing at 21 under par, five strokes behind Denmark’s Nikolaj Højgaard. This win represents Woodland’s first world title since the 2019 U.S. Open.
With this win, Woodland has secured a coveted invitation to next month’s Masters Tournament at Augusta National. His comeback journey has been nothing short of remarkable as he plans to take time off from competitive play in 2023 following surgery to remove a brain lesion.
After returning to the PGA Tour in January of the subsequent year, Woodland has battled the lingering effects of his surgery. Earlier this month, he shared that he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during his recovery.
Now celebrating his fifth PGA Tour victory, Woodland expressed feeling “1,000 pounds lighter” upon disclosing his diagnosis. He is also pleased to find himself within the top 25 of the FedEx Cup standings.
Determined Play Leads to Woodland’s Win
Woodland entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over Højgaard, who quickly expanded his advantage after Woodland registered a bogey on the first hole. Højgaard converted an impressive birdie on the fifth hole, taking control of the tournament.
Although Woodland managed to birdie the par-4 sixth hole, he encountered a setback with a double bogey on the following par-3. However, Woodland regained momentum by sinking a 25-foot birdie putt, while both competitors capitalized on the par-5 eighth hole.
By the time they reached the turn, Woodland had made an astounding four birdies and one bogey, finishing the front nine at 31. His lead swelled to seven shots when Højgaard bogeyed the start of the back nine.
Though he faced challenges, including a missed par attempt from six feet on the 14th hole, Woodland retained a commanding lead despite Højgaard’s attempts to catch up with a birdie on the par-5 16th.
Woodland’s final play saw him safely par the last hole, marking his victory after 2,473 days without a win. Following the match, he expressed profound gratitude for the support from his team, family, and the golfing community. He urged anyone facing struggles to find inspiration in his journey and to persevere.
Looking Ahead: Next Tournament on the Horizon
The PGA Tour will soon shift its focus to Texas for the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio. This tournament provides players with a last opportunity to secure an invitation to the Masters with a win.
Coverage of the Valero Texas Open will begin on Sky Sports Golf at 1:15 PM on Thursday, with full coverage starting at 8:30 PM. Fans can stream Sky Sports without a contract for in-depth coverage of this crucial tournament.
