Gary Woodland Opens Up About PTSD Diagnosis and Struggles After Brain Surgery
March 10, 2026 — PGA TOUR veteran Gary Woodland has spoken publicly about his diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), revealing the emotional and mental challenges he has faced since undergoing brain surgery in 2023.
Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion and a four-time PGA TOUR winner, discussed his experience ahead of THE PLAYERS Championship. In an interview with Rex Hoggard that aired on Golf Channel, Woodland said he received a formal PTSD diagnosis about a year ago.
The 41-year-old golfer said he had spent considerable time trying to hide the difficulties he was experiencing while continuing his professional career.
“I can’t waste energy anymore hiding this,” Woodland said. “But inside, I feel like I’m dying, and I feel like I’m living a lie.”
Woodland underwent surgery in 2023 to remove a brain lesion and returned to PGA TOUR competition in January 2024. However, he said his comeback has been accompanied by struggles that are not always visible to fans watching him compete.
He recalled an incident during a FedExCup Fall event in Napa, California, when he became overwhelmed by symptoms he associated with his condition.
“I was hypervigilant,” Woodland said, describing how a walking scorer startled him from behind. Woodland said he became so distressed that he asked his caddie to make sure nobody approached him from behind.
He then experienced blurred vision and difficulty continuing his round.
“It was my turn to hit and I couldn’t hit,” Woodland said.
His caddie, Brennan Little, suggested that they leave the course, but Woodland decided to continue.
“I said, ‘No man, I’m here for these guys. I want to fight through this,’” Woodland recalled.
Although he completed the round, Woodland said the emotional impact continued afterward. He described crying privately throughout the day and acknowledged how difficult it had become to conceal what he was experiencing.
“There are days when it’s tough – crying in the scoring trailer, running to my car just to hide it,” Woodland said. “I don’t want to live that way anymore.”
Woodland said the PGA TOUR has since worked with him to establish security protocols designed to help him feel safer while competing.
“The more we learn, the more we’re able to put protocols in place to help me. But it’s been a journey,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Woodland has continued to compete because of his deep connection to golf. He said doctors had indicated that avoiding stressful environments could be preferable, but stepping away from the sport was not something he wanted to do.
“In an ideal world I’m probably not playing,” Woodland said. “But in an ideal world I don’t have this. This is my dream.”
Woodland also credited his family, team and fellow players for helping him through the difficult period. He said their support has been particularly important as he learns how to deal with the aftermath of his neurological trauma.
The golfer said his experience has also encouraged him to speak with others who have faced similar struggles, including veterans.
“I’ve talked to veterans, and one thing I’ve heard from multiple people is you can’t do this on your own, no matter how strong you think you are,” Woodland said.
Woodland made five starts during the 2026 season at the time of the report and had reached the weekend twice. He finished 90th in the FedExCup Fall while continuing to balance his professional ambitions with his recovery.
Despite everything he has endured, Woodland said he remains determined to continue pursuing his career while using his experience to help others.
“This is my dream,” Woodland said. “I have a lot of fight in me and I’m not going to let this thing win. But it’s been hard.”
Woodland said speaking openly about his experience represents an important step toward accepting his situation rather than pretending everything is normal.
“I want to live my dreams and be successful out here,” he said. “But I want to help people, too. I realize now I’ve got to help myself first – and hopefully this is the first step in doing that.”
Analysis: Gary Woodland’s PTSD Battle Shows the Hidden Side of a Professional Golfer’s Comeback
Gary Woodland’s decision to speak openly about his PTSD diagnosis offers a deeper look at what can happen after a major medical setback. From the outside, a professional golfer returning to competition can appear to have completed the hardest part of the journey. Woodland’s experience shows that returning to the course does not necessarily mean returning to normal life.
The 2019 U.S. Open champion underwent surgery in 2023 to remove a brain lesion and returned to PGA TOUR competition in January 2024. His return was an important milestone, but his latest comments make clear that recovery has been much more complicated than simply getting back into tournament competition.
Perhaps the most striking part of Woodland’s story is the difference between what spectators see and what he experiences internally. Fans may see a professional golfer walking onto the first tee, hitting shots and competing against some of the best players in the world. Woodland, however, described dealing with hypervigilance, anxiety, emotional distress and moments when he struggled to continue playing.
That contrast is important because professional athletes are often expected to appear mentally strong regardless of what is happening behind the scenes. Woodland’s comments challenge that perception. His statement that he felt like he was “living a lie” illustrates how exhausting it can be to maintain an appearance of normality while privately struggling.
His experience in Napa is particularly revealing. After being startled from behind, Woodland said his symptoms intensified to the point that his eyesight became blurry and he could not hit his next shot. Instead of simply treating the incident as a bad moment on the golf course, it became another example of how his previous medical trauma continued to affect his daily life.
The PGA TOUR’s response also matters. Woodland said security protocols were introduced to help him feel safer while competing. That suggests his situation is not being treated simply as an individual problem. The support around him has become part of his ability to continue pursuing his career.
Woodland’s decision to keep playing also demonstrates how strongly professional sport can be connected to identity. He acknowledged that, in an ideal situation, he might not be competing. Yet he also emphasized that golf is his dream. His determination to continue does not mean the struggle has disappeared; rather, it shows that he is trying to find a way to compete while managing the challenges that remain.
There is also a broader message in Woodland’s decision to speak publicly. His comments could help reduce the stigma surrounding mental and emotional struggles among athletes. His advice that people should not attempt to handle such battles alone is particularly significant.
Ultimately, Woodland’s story is not simply about a golfer trying to regain his form. It is about a champion learning to confront a difficult reality after brain surgery while refusing to let that experience completely define his future. His willingness to acknowledge vulnerability may become one of the most meaningful chapters of his career.
Source: PGA Tour
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