Gary Woodland receives PGA Tour Courage Award after return from brain surgery
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland was honored Wednesday with the PGA Tour Courage Award as he comes back from brain surgery to remove a lesion that was causing him to have unfounded thoughts that he was dying.
Woodland, who won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach to go along with three other PGA Tour titles, had a hole the size of a baseball removed from his head so doctors could remove the lesion in a September 2023 surgery.
He returned last year and continues to make strides toward restoring his game and his life at home with wife Gabby and his three children.
'Receiving this is a testament to the people around me because there's no way, one, I'd be back playing or no way I'd be sitting here today if it wasn't for them,' Woodland said at PGA National, where he is playing the Cognizant Classic.
'It means everything for me to receive it, but it really belongs to the people around me.'
The Courage Award is presented to a person who overcomes extraordinary adversity, such as personal tragedy or debilitating injury or illness, to make a significant and meaningful contribution to golf.
Chris Kirk was honored last year for his battle with alcoholism. Previous winners include Jarrod Lyle of Australia, who died after a long battle with leukemia, and two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan presented Woodland with the award at PGA National.
'He's overcome so many challenges, which is nothing short of miraculous,' Monahan said. 'He continues to manage symptoms associated with his initial diagnosis while competing — and competing very well — at the highest level of professional golf. Gary Woodland is a constant inspiration to us all.'
The Courage Award includes a contribution of $25,000 from the Tour to a charity of the recipient's choice. Woodland selected Champion Charities — he and his wife are matching the donation - an organization dedicated to research and patient support in brain tumor, brain disease and brain trauma.
Woodland said he learned of the organization from former San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Harris Barton, his partner in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this year. Both of Barton's parents died from brain tumors.
Woodland had one top-10 last year when he returned. This is the final year of his exemption from winning the U.S. Open.
'At the end of the day, I'm fighting,' he said. 'The last thing I'm going to let this do is let this thing in my head stop my dreams, and that's why I fight every day. I want to be there for my kids and my family, but I want to chase my dreams, too. I've got a lot of dreams out here.
'I'm starting to understand what I need to do every day to function in life, but the things I'm doing to help with my brain are also helping me play golf, and I'm knocking on the door. It's coming, and I'm going to keep knocking on that door until I bust through.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Kyle Shanahan has good news on return of one of 49ers most important players
While a spate of other injuries have grabbed headlines in San Francisco 49ers training camp, running back Christian McCaffrey's health remains a sizable factor in the team's success this season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had good news on that front after Thursday's joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders, joking that McCaffrey is blowing away the GPS tracking data. 'Yeah, I think he had like 25 yesterday or something like that," Shanahan quipped about McCaffrey's miles per hour. "Trying to make Christian happy. He's doing awesome. He's as fast as he's been, as quick, as strong. He's Christian McCaffrey.' That's exactly what San Francisco was hoping for throughout the offseason where McCaffrey was a full participant. He exited last year's training camp early and wound up missing the first eight games. Once he returned he looked ineffective before suffering a season-ending knee injury early in his fourth game. San Francisco's offense struggled without the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year, and having him back and healthy would be the most significant lift their offense could get as they aim to bounce back from their putrid 2024 campaign. Shanahan said he's been communicating with McCaffrey and the training staff throughout camp, and that nothing has changed about his workload through two joint practices and a preseason game with another on the way. 'Yeah, I mean I'm around Christian a lot, so I talk to him a lot," Shanahan said. "Talk to the trainers a lot, and Christian's very neurotic about his body, so you know he's on top of all that stuff. But I mean last year was the first training camp he missed with us. Missing training camp isn't always the best way to; it's definitely not the best way to keep you healthy. But getting hurt in training camp also is a problem too. So that's kind of the miserable decisions I have every single day.' Balancing McCaffrey's workload between his readiness for Week 1 and his immediate health is one of the key pieces of Shanahan's job this preseason. So far, so good. If McCaffrey continues to look like himself, the 49ers will be in good shape to make a run back to the postseason. More 49ers: ESPN unveils ceiling, floor predictions for 49ers in 2025 season
Chicago Tribune
3 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
John Daly II, son of the 2-time major champion, advances to quarterfinals of US Amateur
SAN FRANCISCO — John Daly II and Niall Shiels Donegan each won two matches Thursday at The Olympic Club to advance to the U.S. Amateur quarterfinals as more top-ranked players dropped out. Daly, the son of two-time major champion John Daly, beat Nate Smith 2 and 1 in the morning in the round of 32, then topped Daniel Bennett of South Africa 3 and 2 in the afternoon in the round of 16. Daly, a senior-to-be at Arkansas, set up a match with Mason Howell, the 18-year-old from Georgia who qualified for the U.S. Open this year with rounds of 63-63 from the Atlanta sectional. Howell beat second-ranked Virginia senior Ben James 1 up and Max Herendeen 2 and 1. In the morning, Herendeen eliminated top-ranked Jackson Koivun 3 and 2. Donegan had two 1-up victories, topping ninth-ranked Christiaan Maas of South Africa and fourth-ranked Preston Stout, the Oklahoma State junior who was the stroke-play medalist. Donegan, who plays under the Scottish flag and lives in the Bay Area, pulled even with Stout with a birdie on the par-3 15th and took the lead with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-5 16th. Donegan was among 17 players who advanced from a 20-man playoff Wednesday morning to determine the final 64 for match play. His father, Lawrence, was a longtime golf correspondent for The Guardian. Donegan, will face Jacob Modleski, a 2-up winner over Paul Chang of China. Modleski, at No. 15, is the top player left in the world amateur ranking. Miles Russell, 16, of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., also advanced to the quarterfinals, beating Mahanth Chirravuri 2 and 1. Russell is ranked No. 16. Russell will face 29th-ranked Eric Lee, a 2-up winner over Josh Duangmanee when Duangmanee lost his ball off the tee on the final hole. In the other quarterfinal, Jimmy Abdo will play Jackson Herrington.
NBC Sports
3 hours ago
- NBC Sports
John Daly II among those winning twice Thursday to advance to quarterfinals of U.S. Amateur
Niall Shiels Donegan crossed the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco from nearby Mill Valley to compete in the U.S. Amateur and he's heading home a quarterfinalist after winning a great match against Preston Stout. SAN FRANCISCO — John Daly II and Niall Shiels Donegan each won two matches Thursday at The Olympic Club to advance to the U.S. Amateur quarterfinals as more top-ranked players dropped out. Daly, the son of two-time major champion John Daly, beat Nate Smith, 2 and 1, in the morning in the round of 32, then topped Daniel Bennett of South Africa, 3 and 2, in the afternoon in the round of 16. Daly, a senior-to-be at Arkansas, set up a match with Mason Howell, the 18-year-old from Georgia who qualified for the U.S. Open this year with rounds of 63-63 from the Atlanta sectional. Howell beat second-ranked Virginia senior Ben James, 1 up, and Max Herendeen, 2 and 1. In the morning, Herendeen eliminated top-ranked Jackson Koivun, 3 and 2. Donegan had two 1-up victories, topping ninth-ranked Christiaan Maas of South Africa and fourth-ranked Preston Stout, the Oklahoma State junior who was the stroke-play medalist. Donegan, who plays under the Scottish flag and lives in the Bay Area, pulled even with Stout with a birdie on the par-3 15th and took the lead with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-5 16th. Donegan was among 17 players who advanced from a 20-man playoff Wednesday morning to determine the final 64 for match play. His father, Lawrence, was a longtime golf correspondent for The Guardian. Donegan, will face Jacob Modleski, a 2-up winner over Paul Chang of China. Modleski, at No. 15, is the top player left in the world amateur ranking. Sixteen-year-old Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, also advanced to the quarterfinals, beating Mahanth Chirravuri, 2 and 1. Russell is No. 16 in the ranking. Russell will face 29th-ranked Eric Lee, a 2-up winner over Josh Duangmanee when Duangmanee lost his ball off the tee on the final hole. In the other quarterfinal, Jimmy Abdo will play Jackson Herrington.
