Gary Woodland secured his fifth PGA Tour victory and first in seven years at the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open, dominating with his driving at Memorial Park. The 41-year-old led the field in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee during the final round for a five-shot win. His triumph also earned him a spot in the 2026 Masters.
Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, credited his unique Cobra prototype OPTM Max LS-K driver for his performance. The lower-spin, fade-biased club features a deep center of gravity, 6.4 degrees of loft, and a Fujikura Ventus Black 8-X shaft measuring 44.75 inches. Cobra Tour Rep Ben Schomin described it as a working prototype designed specifically for Woodland after he struggled with spin using other drivers last season. Woodland has used the matte-finish head since the PNC Championship in December, pairing it with a heavy shaft for his smoother tempo. He told GOLF in February that back-weighted drivers have historically suited him best for driving the ball well: “This is my 18th year on Tour and the drivers that I’ve played when I’ve driven the golf ball well have been back-weighted.” Woodland leads the PGA Tour in driving distance and clubhead speed this season, having recently shared his recovery from PTSD following brain surgery that sidelined him years ago. His win punches his ticket to the 2026 Masters, his first appearance since 2024. Four other players qualified via the Official World Golf Ranking update after the event: Nicolai Hojgaard (runner-up, now No. 36), Daniel Berger (No. 38), Jake Knapp (No. 42), and Matt McCarty (No. 46). Hojgaard finished five shots behind Woodland with a final-round 71, joining his twin brother Rasmus in the Masters field.
