Woodland Cherishes Masters Return After Surgery, PTSD Fight
Gary Woodland returned to Augusta National for the Masters Tournament after undergoing brain surgery and battling post-traumatic stress disorder. The 2019 U.S. Open champion qualified for the event with a victory at the Houston Open on March 29, 2026. Woodland, 41, described driving down Magnolia Lane more slowly this year than in his 2011 debut.
"I love this place," Woodland said Tuesday. "I love the tradition. There’s nothing like driving down Magnolia Lane. I’m definitely taking it all in this week for sure." He acknowledged that crowds and close quarters at the course could trigger his symptoms. "It's a big week for me this week," he said. "The fans are very close on the tee boxes. There's a lot going on. There's probably not a safer golf tournament in the world, so I'm happy for that. But it's still a battle in my head if I'm safe or not. That's a tough pill to swallow."
Woodland underwent surgery in 2023 to remove a benign brain lesion that caused seizures, anxiety and fear. Symptoms persisted afterward, leading to a PTSD diagnosis roughly a year ago. He finished tied for 14th at the 2023 Masters, missed the cut in 2024 and failed to qualify for the 2025 event.
During the week, Woodland met Augusta National security officials to learn their positions on the course. "The main deal is they were showing me where security is," he said. "The whole deal for me is it's visual, right? If I can see somebody, then I can remind myself that I'm safe constantly." At the Houston Open, he endured a tense second round. "I battled the last 10 holes thinking people were trying to kill me," Woodland said. "I have security with me. But I talked to [PGA] Tour security that night, and I told them what I was going through. Every time I looked up on the weekend, my security team was behind me."
"I'm emotional from the standpoint I know how close I probably was to never being back here, and I'm very proud of myself for earning my way back," Woodland said. "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. It doesn't care."
