Gary Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, revealed his post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis in an emotional interview ahead of THE PLAYERS Championship. The four-time PGA TOUR winner discussed ongoing struggles following 2023 brain surgery. He expressed determination to compete despite the challenges.
An emotional Gary Woodland shared his experiences with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in an interview with Rex Hoggard that aired on Golf Channel on Monday, ahead of THE PLAYERS Championship. Woodland, who underwent surgery in 2023 to remove a brain lesion, received the formal PTSD diagnosis about a year ago. He returned to PGA TOUR competition in January 2024 but has faced significant mental and emotional difficulties since then.
Woodland described feeling like he is "living a lie" due to the gap between external perceptions of his recovery and his internal struggles. "I can’t waste energy anymore hiding this, and I’m blessed with a lot of support out here on the TOUR," he said. "Everyone’s just been amazing... But inside, I feel like I’m dying."
He recounted a particularly distressing incident during a round in Napa, California, where hypervigilance—a common PTSD symptom—overwhelmed him. "A walking scorer startled me, got close to me from behind," Woodland explained. "Next thing you know, I couldn’t remember what I was doing. My eyesight started to get blurry." Despite the episode, he pushed through to finish the round, though he later cried in bathrooms and hid in his car to cope.
The PGA TOUR has implemented security protocols to help him feel safer on the course. Woodland, who finished 90th in the FedExCup Fall and has made five starts this season—reaching the weekend twice—emphasized that golf remains central to his identity. "This is my dream," he said. "I have a lot of fight in me and I’m not going to let this thing win. But it’s been hard."
Support from family, his team, and fellow players has been vital, though the journey has been tougher on them. During the Ryder Cup, he felt able to be himself without hiding. Woodland hopes sharing his story encourages others. "I hope somebody that’s struggling sees me out here still fighting and battling and trying to live my dreams," he said. Doctors suggested avoiding high-stress environments, but he refused to step away from competition.
