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Gary Woodland Receives Major PGA Tour Honor

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Taylor Craig | Last updated Feb 27, 2025 5:24 PM ET

On February 26, 2025, Gary Woodland received the PGA Tour Courage Award during a presentation at the Cognizant Classic ahead of the tournament. This surprised Woodland, who graciously accepted the award while tearing up during his acceptance speech. This award has only ever been given out seven times since it was established in 2012.

Why Did Gary Woodland Receive PGA Tour Courage Award

This award came to Woodland due to his struggles with a surgery he went through in September of 2023. It’s not uncommon for players to be injured or need surgery, Scottie Scheffler is having issues with his hand. Gary Woodland however had to have open brain surgery. The surgery was for a brain lesion he contracted earlier that year. He ended up struggling with the symptoms during the 2024 season. Starting in the Hawaii Sony Open in January, it was a hard journey to get back in the game. Anyone who has gone through any kind of surgery will understand that symptoms and pains tend to stick around for months afterward even when one has technically recovered. Woodland was playing while his head was still healing. His recovery and resolve have been called nothing short of miraculous and inspiring.

WATCH: Gary Woodland Tears-up At Acceptance Speech

What Happened To Gary Woodland?

Gary Woodland contracted a brain lesion in 2023 that left him in tremendous pain. He has described it as feeling like he “was going to die,” the pain was that bad. Woodland did still try to play until his caddie Brennan Little told him that he could not play like this. He went to a specialist and was put on seizure medicine to control the symptoms. On September 18th, 2023, he underwent surgery to get the lesion removed. The wound itself was about the size of a baseball. The risks included the possibility of paralysis on the left side of his body. He was left in the ICU for two days during his initial recovery and refused to leave in a wheelchair. Recovery from a surgery like this can easily last several months.

During this time, as soon as the doctors allowed Woodland to play lightly, he insisted on getting back into shape so that he can play professionally. This is what he was dealing with going into the 2024 season. He has called his recovery a “difficult journey.” He has said that the award more belongs to the people around him who helped and encouraged him to keep going.

Going Forward For Woodland

This award is just a little bit overdue, considering that the surgery was almost two years ago, and his recovery time was one year ago, but he is not complaining. Gary Woodland himself seems to be more concerned about his ability to play rather than the award given his attitude regarding the recovery.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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