Gary Woodland at the Golf Masters in Augusta: Fear as the greatest enemy

AEven a week and a half ago in Houston, Texas, Gary Woodland kept looking around in fear. He played as the leader in the final group of the day, which always gets the most attention. Crowds of fans particularly followed Woodland, whose history in golf is well known. They shouted his name and cheered for his every shot on the way to his first victory since the US Open 2019. But the 41-year-old only felt fear, in a sport that requires no physical contact at all, and no injuries. But not without fates like that of Woodland, for whom life away from the golf course is a great challenge. On the pitch, at tournaments, it’s even worse. Then Woodland says he feels like he’s “dying inside.”

The tall man from Kansas, who has always been one of the best trained professionals on the golf tour, has a remarkable career story to tell. You only notice Woodland’s weakness when he speaks: somewhat fragile, insecure, always on guard. When Woodland talks, you notice the clinical picture of post-traumatic stress disorder, which makes his life difficult.

In Woodland’s case, PTSD, as the disease is called, is the result of serious brain surgery. In 2023, a large part of a brain tumor was removed in a complex operation. Since then, he has suffered from constant anxiety, especially in the presence of many people: hypervigilance is a major challenge, especially for athletes who have to function in the midst of crowds. Golfers also need a certain amount of tension to be successful: the increased heart rate that is caused by Woodland’s syndrome is completely normal in tense situations in final rounds. If his doctors were to prescribe him strong medication to help him cope with the stress, it would probably have a big impact on his golf game, Woodland recently explained.

The fact that he won the tournament in Houston was also one of the most beautiful moments of his life – the continuation of his comeback story. And yet the short-term consequences were different. “It was a very difficult week after the win,” Woodland said at his press conference in Augusta on Tuesday: “I had a hard time dealing with it last week. A win brings a lot of excitement – things I haven’t experienced in a long time.” The fact that many people cheered and congratulated him was a particularly big challenge for Woodland: “For the brain tumor and my PTSD, it doesn’t matter whether I win or lose. It doesn’t matter to them.”

Woodland willingly shares the story of his illnesses with the public in order to inspire

Woodland speaks in a sometimes uncertain voice, but the very fact that he speaks is a document of his impressive personality: Woodland willingly shares the story of his illnesses with the public, it is intended to inspire: “Sharing my inner struggles has made me stronger,” said Woodland, who first spoke about his challenges in an interview in March: “I hope that someone who is struggling with something sees this guy here, who fights every day and still lives his dreams, and that he then also wants to get up and fight and live his dream.”

After a few years, Woodland’s fight took him back to Augusta. He only qualified for the Masters with his victory a week and a half ago, and he considers that alone a great success: “I know how close it was that I might never have come back here again, and I’m very proud of myself for fighting my way back,” said Woodland, who is aware of the challenges. As the rest of the field grapples alone with one of the world’s most difficult courses, Woodland’s main concern is what will happen around him.

As on the PGA Tour, Woodland has special security guards at Augusta to help him. Nevertheless, he will always look over his shoulder when a fan moves quickly behind him, a teammate or a tournament helper: “In my head it’s still a battle whether I’m safe or not,” said Woodland: “I have no control over when it comes to me.”