Gary Woodland opens up on PTSD struggles after brain surgery on eve of Masters return

Former US Open champion Gary Woodland recently secured his return to the Masters with a victory at the Houston Open. However, during the final holes of that tournament, Woodland revealed he was battling intense feelings of "hypervigilance”, believing people were "trying to kill me. " This stark admission, shared by Woodland on Tuesday, is far from a joke.

It represents a powerful disclosure of his ongoing mental health struggles, which he hopes will resonate with others grappling with trauma, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ). The profound internal turmoil Woodland experiences, even amidst the serene surroundings of Augusta National , stems from a brain lesion discovered in 2023. This lesion had been fueling unfounded fears of dying.

In September of that year, he penned heartfelt letters to his wife and children, anticipating the worst, before undergoing surgery to remove as much of the growth as possible. The procedure, which involved creating a baseball-sized opening in the side of his head, was ultimately successful. Woodland returned to the golf course in January 2024, gradually regaining his form and making enough cuts to maintain his motivation.

His recent triumph at the Houston Open, where he closed with a final round 3-under 67 for a five-shot victory over Nicolai Hojgaard , followed a second-place finish at the same event the previous year. Few, however, were aware of the depth of his continued struggle. Woodland won the Houston Open last month but had some struggles with his mental health during the tournament (Getty Images) Woodland had become crippled by PTSD , often retreating to bathrooms to weep, constantly feeling as though he was being targeted.