Against all odds, this golfer’s courageous journey has earned him the PGA Tour Courage Award! After undergoing surgery to remove a benign brain tumor in September 2023, the 40-year-old golfer has made a remarkable comeback, competing full-time while managing the physical, emotional, and mental effects of his condition. Yes, we are talking about Gary Woodland.

With his wife Gabby matching the donation, Woodland’s hope and determination continue to inspire, as he says, “I’m getting my life back.” This newfound appreciation for life is partly thanks to the support of fellow golfer Justin Thomas. How, you ask? Well, you’re about to find out!

When asked how his and Justin Thomas’s friendship bloomed out of nowhere on the latest episode of the Fore Play golf podcast, Woodland got emotional as he recalled the moment that sparked their bond. It was during the 3M Open, where Thomas casually asked Woodland how he was doing, unknowingly providing a much-needed release of emotions for Woodland, who was struggling with a brain tumor diagnosis at the time. “I got to tell somebody, it was it got to that point right, I had held it in for four months and and I hadn’t said it to anybody”, Woodland said.

He’ll never forget the moment he shared his secret with Justin Thomas. They were playing together in a featured group with Joel Dahmen, surrounded by cameras, when Thomas asked him how he was doing. It was a simple question, but it caught him off guard, and he felt a strong urge to open up about his struggles. With a boom mic nearby, he hesitated, saying he’d tell Thomas later. But Thomas didn’t forget, and the next day, he asked again, “What were you gonna say to me yesterday?” It was then that he finally revealed his secret: “JT, I got a brain tumor, man.”

“It was a massive release for me,” Woodland said, his voice cracking with emotion, as he explained how Thomas’s simple inquiry allowed him to finally open up about his struggles. This moment marked the beginning of a strong and supportive friendship between the two golfers, with Thomas continuing to check in with Woodland regularly, offering support and encouragement throughout his journey.

You might not know every detail of Gary Woodland’s struggles over the past few years, as the golfer is still opening up about his journey, and what he recently shared may make you reach for tissues.

‘Everything was end-of-the-world death for me’- Gary Woodland

In 2019, Woodland was on top of the world, having won the US Open, but just four years later, his life took a drastic turn. He began experiencing crippling anxiety and fear of dying, which affected every aspect of his life, from driving to spending time with his family. His doctors discovered a benign lesion growing on his brain, which was inducing seizures and triggering his fear and anxiety responses. “It was hell,” Woodland recalls. “Every situation, from driving in a car to getting on an airplane to walking down the street. Everything was end-of-the-world death for me.”

Woodland’s struggles took a toll on his family life, and he recalls having to leave the room when his kids got excited because his brain couldn’t handle the stimulation. “When they got excited, I had to leave the room because my brain couldn’t handle the stimulation. They don’t understand why I have to go lay in the bed in a dark room to slow everything down. That was devastating for me,” he shares. He underwent surgery in September 2023, and although the relief was immediate, he never took anything for granted.

In the days leading up to the procedure, he wrote heartfelt letters to his wife and three young children, a task he describes as “the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” Today, Woodland is learning to cope with his ongoing struggles, relying on yoga and breathwork to calm himself down, and he’s grateful to be living a more exciting life again.