American golfer Gary Woodland revealed his ongoing struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder following brain surgery he underwent in September 2023. Despite being diagnosed with PTSD last year, Woodland returned to compete on the PGA Tour, fighting to reclaim his career while managing his mental health challenges.
Gary Woodland Shares His Experience with PTSD and Golf
After his surgery, Woodland faced significant difficulties coping with PTSD but chose to continue playing professionally. In a revealing interview with Golf Channel, he described the discrepancy between external perceptions and his internal reality amid his recovery.
“Every week, I come out, and everyone is so excited and happy that I’m back. I hear that every week: ‘It’s so nice to see you passed this. It’s so nice to see you 100%,'” Woodland said. “And I appreciate that love and support, but inside, I feel like I’m dying. I feel like I’m living a lie. And I don’t want to waste energy on that anymore. I want to focus my energy on me and my recovery, my dreams out here, my family. I don’t want to waste energy hiding this.”
?Gary Woodland, Golfer
Woodland also spoke about the difficult advice he has received from medical professionals regarding his participation in golf tournaments, emphasizing his commitment to the sport despite the risks.
“Doctors have said in an ideal world, I’m probably not playing,” he added. “I’m probably not in a stressful, overstimulating environment. But my response was, in an ideal world, I don’t have [PTSD]. [Golf] is my dream, this is what I’m going to do, and no matter how hard it is, I’m going to play.”
?Gary Woodland, Golfer
His determination to pursue his passion remains despite the intense mental and emotional toll of competing while managing PTSD symptoms.
Gary Woodland’s Upcoming Participation at The Players Championship
Looking ahead, Woodland is preparing to take part in The Players Championship this week, set to begin on Thursday, March 12, 2026. He will tee off at 8:16 a.m. ET alongside Kevin Yu and Cam Davis. This event represents another major opportunity for Woodland to demonstrate resilience amid his ongoing health battle.
The Players Championship first-round tee times include several notable groups, with multiple prominent golfers scheduled throughout the morning and early afternoon. Some key pairings for the first round are:
- 7:40 a.m. – Mark Hubbard, Thorbjørn Olesen, Mac Meissner
- 7:52 a.m. – Bud Cauley, Vince Whaley, Chandler Phillips
- 8:04 a.m. – Emiliano Grillo, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Max Greyserman
- 8:16 a.m. – Kevin Yu, Cam Davis, Gary Woodland
- 8:28 a.m. – Ricky Castillo, Ryan Gerard, Patrick Cantlay
- 8:40 a.m. – Adam Schenk, Garrick Higgo, Matt McCarty
- 8:52 a.m. – Brian Harman, Maverick McNealy, Davis Riley
- 9:04 a.m. – Sami Valimaki, Lucas Glover, Matt Fitzpatrick
- 9:16 a.m. – Michael Brennan, Harris English, J.T. Poston
- 9:28 a.m. – Haotong Li, Zecheng Dou, Jordan Smith
- 12:30 p.m. – Lee Hodges, Andrew Putnam, Sam Stevens
- 12:42 p.m. – Erik van Rooyen, Keith Mitchell, Michael Kim
- 12:54 p.m. – Taylor Moore, Joel Dahmen, Ryo Hisatsune
- 1:06 p.m. – Jacob Bridgeman, Ben Griffin, Adam Scott
- 1:18 p.m. – J.J. Spaun, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry
Challenges Faced by Woodland This PGA Tour Season
Since returning to competition, Woodland has experienced mixed results across several events this season. He began at the Sony Open in Hawaii but failed to make the cut. His performances at The American Express and the Farmers Insurance Open also saw early exits, including another missed cut.
At the WM Phoenix Open, he finished tied for 64th place, marking his best outcome this season, though the subsequent Cognizant Classic again resulted in missing the cut. Woodland’s ongoing struggles reflect the toll that both his physical recovery and PTSD symptoms may be taking on his form.
The upcoming Players Championship provides another chance for Woodland to demonstrate his perseverance, with many observers and fans watching closely to see how successfully he manages both his health and his game in this highly competitive environment.
