Gary Woodland is a major champion and PGA Tour stalwart, but perhaps more known for his battle with health problems.
Born in Topeka, Kansas in May 1984, Woodland’s first sporting love was actually basketball. He originally went to college on a basketball scholarship, before switching the a golf scholarship at the University of Kansas. He graduated in 2007, and immediately started playing on the mini-tours, before making the jump to the PGA Tour for the 2010 season.
His first PGA Tour win came a year later, and to date, he has four wins on the tour, including one at the iconic Waste Management Phoenix Open. His biggest golfing victory came a year later, as he took the win at the 2019 US Open.
However, his biggest victory in life came off the course…
Gary Woodland surgery story
The show also follows Woodland coping with a lesion on his brain that was diagnosed in 2023. Signs that something was wrong with Woodland’s mental health arose in that year when he would find himself consumed by fear and at the Memorial Tournament in June, he woke up one night fearing for his life and clinging to his mattress.
Tremors and a loss of appetite were other symptoms, as well as general anxiety. He consulted a GP and an MRI eventually revealed the lesion on his brain, sitting on a part that controls fear and anxiety.
Woodland received surgery in September of that year. He returned at the Sony Open in January 2024 after a doctor removed as much of the tumor as possible without affecting Woodland’s eyesight.
Gary Woodland | Player Profile
Personal Information
Name: Gary Lynn Woodland
Born: May 21, 1984
Nationality: United States
Residence: Delray Beach, Florida, United States
Career
College: Washburn University / University of Kansas
Turned Pro: 2007
Professional Wins: 6
Highest World Ranking: 12 – June 16, 2019
Best Results In Majors
Best Finishes:
– Masters Tournament – T14 (2023)
– PGA Championship – T6 (2018)
– US Open – WON (2019)
– Open Championship – T12 (2016)
Professional Wins – 6
2008 (1) – Southwest Kansas Pro-Am
2011 (2) – Transitions Championship, Omega Mission Hills World Cup
2013 (1) – Reno-Tagoe Open
2018 (1) – Waste Management Phoenix Open
2019 (1) – US Open
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Achievements and Awards
PGA Tour Courage Award – 2024
Gary Woodland | What’s In His Bag?
Woodland is now a Cobra staff player, but there are still remnants of his old Wilson deal within his golf bag…
Check out our full piece on which clubs Gary Woodland uses on tour here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Gary Woodland
When and where was Gary Woodland born?
Woodland was born in Topeka, Kansas in May 1984. He started playing the game from a young age, but it was not his first choice of sport…
When did Gary Woodland turn professional?
Woodland turned professional in 2007, following a sparkling collegiate career during his four-year stint at the University of Kansas.
How many professional titles has Gary Woodland won?
As of early 2025, Woodland is a six-time winner during his professional career. The biggest of those victories came at the 2019 US Open at Pebble Beach, where he claimed his maiden major championship crown.
Who is Gary Woodland’s wife?
Gary Woodland’s wife as formerly named Gabby Granado. The pair got married in 2016 in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and they have three children together – Jaxson Lynn, Maddox Jean and Lennox Lee.
Why did Gary Woodland have brain surgery?
After experiencing tremors, anxiety, chills, a loss of appetite and general nausea over a sustained period in 2023, Woodland visited his GP who put him forward for an MRI scan.
This revealed that a lesion was growing on his brain, the part that controls fear and anxiety. He took anti-seizure and anxiety medication until he had surgery in September, 2023.
Did you Know?
PGA Tour Courage Award
The PGA Tour Courage Award replaced the old Comeback Player of the Year Award, and is now only awarded in special circumstances. Following Woodland’s return to the tour after brain surgery, he was given the award in 2024.
Basketball First, Golf Second
Woodland originally began his college life on a basketball scholarship at Washburn University. After a year, though, he transferred to the University of Kansas on a golf scholarship, and the rest is history – so much so that the golf complex at the University of Kansas is named after him.
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Other Gary Woodland Articles
Major champions Woodland, Simpson and Johnson lose full PGA Tour cards for 2025
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