Woodland's Comeback For The Ages
The 2019 U.S. Open champ is headed back to Augusta after Houston win. Plus, Tiger's latest car wreck and arrest, Kim wins second straight LPGA stop, Masters Player Services building, ANWA preview.
Move…almost aside, Ben Hogan.
Gary Woodland's win at Houston’s PGA Tour event just barged into the discussion of all-time sports comebacks. In a perverse way—that does not undermine his accomplishment—the win seemed more meaningful on a weekend when more than a little shine came off Tiger Woods’s various comebacks caused by self-inflicted injuries. (We’ll deal with the latest mishegas later in this edition.)
Woodland has overcome demons that no golfer or athlete has faced in their competitive prime. After going through surgery to remove a brain tumor, his mere presence on the tees and greens should be something to behold. Particularly in a sport where the silliest little mind games—a marshal moved on my backswing and my courtesy car smelled like smoke…all week!—have sent lesser men home on Friday nights.
Throw in the slightest hit to your equilibrium or the sense of safety playing in front of people, and what Woodland faces would have destroyed lesser golfers.
To reinforce the power of the mind, Woodland’s comeback turned in a new direction only three weeks ago. Veteran players told him he needed to explain how the tumor’s removal wasn’t the end of his saga. So he asked Golf Channel to let him talk about PTSD issues that seem particularly acute when Woodland is trying to play golf in front of people. Kind of a big deal for a pro golfer.
Pro golfers have rarely enjoyed talking about what ails them, even though most of their issues mean absolutely nothing to their competition (compared to other sports where opposing teams can seize on vulnerabilities).
“Obviously, coming out with what I’m battling a couple weeks ago definitely freed me up a little bit,” Woodland said after winning his fifth Tour title in record fashion. “It took a lot off my plate. It allowed me to focus my energy where I need to, and that’s on me and taking care of myself so I can chase my dreams.”
Fittingly, his dominant victory came at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open, where Woodland was assisted by an angel battling her own health issues.
“I’m wearing these shoes that were designed by Cece,” Woodland said of his footwear. “She’s battled a tough road for the last seven years and she’s still battling. I’m proud -- I wore these shoes with a lot of pride and I’m proud to be on her team.”
Lump in your throat yet?
Who cares what the ultimate “comeback” classification turns out to be for this win? Just let the adjectives flow.
Amazing. Inspiring. Nuts. Wild. Beautiful. Heartwarming. Unprecedented. Unfathomable…especially when we know golfers thrive on a quiet mind.
As for his physical play, Woodland was brilliant all four days. His opening 36-holes deserve extra attention. Woodland opened with a 63, a year after he started the same tournament with a 62 and finished second in a feat that was lauded at the time (but maybe not fully appreciated until we learned of the torment he’s been suffering of late inside the ropes). His opening 127 was a career best through 36. He birdied 15 of the first 36 he played. His 54-hole and 72-hole scores were also career lows.
Woodland’s winning 259 (-21) is the lowest 72-hole score in tournament history, beating Sunday playing partner Min Woo Lee’s record by one. Woodland’s five-stroke winning margin is the second-largest margin of victory this year (after Justin Rose’s runaway at Torrey Pines).
Woodland’s Masters exemption from winning the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach expired with last year’s missed cut. He will now return to Augusta thanks to the performance at Memorial Park. Woodland has made 12 Masters appearances and his best finish was a T14 in 2023.
“This is probably top to bottom as good as I’ve played maybe on Tour,” Woodland said. “Obviously I had a great week there at Pebble, but I was just in complete control this week. I’m proud of that. I put a lot of work in. It’s obviously been a struggle for me the last couple years, but I knew physically the game was as good as it’s ever been. I just had to fight through some other battles that I’m battling and I was able do that this week.”
If you watched Woodland’s play and his well-documented extreme ball speed reaching absurd 190’s levels at age 41, then it’s hard to believe he was distracted by much. Especially a few admiring spectators harmlessly standing where fans always stand.
“The last 10 holes on Friday, I teed off on nine and some people behind the ropes got close to me and I got extremely hypervigilant,” Woodland said. “I’ll tell you this, if it wasn’t for Tour security and my security, Zach, this week, there’s no way I’m sitting here right now. I was a wreck the last 10 holes of that day. I got into scoring, Zach got close to me, Tour security was visual, so I saw them so they calmed me down.
“I got into scoring, I bawled my eyes out, I reset and was able to come back out and take care of stuff after.”
Took care of it, he did. Woodland offered a much-needed reminder of what a genuine comeback looks like. And why we never know what could happen when the Tour turns up. Sometimes, they even produce miracles.
Also…
In addition to Woodland, the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking not yet exempt to The Masters will receive invitations on Monday: Nicolai Hojgaard, Daniel Berger, Jake Knapp, Matt McCarty.
Knapp shot a final round 62 to finish T6/-13.
2025 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year, Johnny Keefer finished T3/-15, his career-best finish in his 14th start. He previously qualified for The Masters by finishing in the OWGR’s top 50 at the end of last year.
After an opening round 70, World No. 51 Pierceson Coody withdrew from the Texas Children’s Houston Open on Friday morning due to a back injury. The unfortunate end to his quest to become the first grandchild of a former Masters champion to qualify for the tournament. Had Coody moved into the Official World Golf Ranking’s top 50 with a good finish, he would have earned a trip to the Masters. Coody started the year ranked 96th and can only make it by winning next week’s Valero Texas Open.
The tournament produced three holes-in-one: Adam Scott (T21/-8) aced the par-3 11th hole on Sunday. Shane Lowry (T28/-7) recorded his on the par-3 second hole during the final round, while Cole Hammer made one on No. 15 in round one. Scott and Lowry’s aces were part of the highlights package:
Tiger
Once again.
In the most pitiful form of deja vu all over again, Tiger Woods embarrassed himself, his family, his “team”, his enablers, his foundation, his pride, and the game he loves. For the fourth time.
It’d be swell if his latest car accident served as a wake-up call for Woods and his addiction issues. But we know better. The world of golf should slap him around if it would like to see him turn gray, bald, and generate a 125 ball speed in the Honorary Starters Ceremony.
But if you’ve been around golf long enough, you know this is the same sport that’ll tear a rotator cuff to pat itself on the back for its nobility. So golf will once again scold, scoff, lecture, shake heads, and then, because he’s a once-in-a-lifetime gravy train, write off the latest could-have-been-so-much-worse car accident where good lawyers will get him out of another DUI.
While Woods is entirely responsible for his latest embarrassment, the sport he’s given so much to is once again in a position to send him a signal. Unfortunately, profit and cult-of-personality worship have a funny way of benching principled stances in a sport that can’t wait to tell the world how it plays by the rules.
While the latest crash has been blamed on enablers, the media, and everyone but Woods, golf has also never really put its foot down when it comes to his accidents. Sponsorships have continued. Partnerships with elite institutions were started after car incidents two, three, and four. Then again, this is the same sport that essentially doxxed a police officer because another No. 1 player was late for his pre-round physio session and acted like a jagoff when there were flashing lights everywhere. So are we really surprised that Tiger’s struggle with addiction has been allowed to fester?
For a change, it’d be really nice if those in power would step up in the name of helping the man face his issues. If nothing else, maybe they would do it in the name of other drivers on Beach Road?
Golf’s leadership does not even have to preach the way Masters Chairman Billy Payne once did. Or go out of its way to embarrass an obviously flawed man who has turned to painkillers after making a mess of his body in pursuit of excellence (and one last major). Nor is a punishment pile-on the right course for someone who hasn’t been the same since the loss of his dear mother, Tida.
Friday’s SUV rollover near his home came on a flat street where, mercifully, no one was hurt. The accident was in no way sugar-coated by the authorities (for a nice change of pace). As with previous incidents, Woods could have killed someone. By refusing to take a urine test, Tiger seems likely to evade another DUI conviction and, at worst, lose his license for a year. None of his prior one-car incidents resulted in a DUI.
For all we know, he’s faced punishment of some kind in the past after the previous incidents. The PGA Tour doesn’t announce such things unless it’s someone far less famous (Barron), or much more annoying (Singh). The Tour drug policy forbidding opioids allows for a therapeutic use exemption. Perhaps Woods has successfully received one, and if so, he would still be eligible to play competitively? Add that to the list of things needing a review. Pronto.
What matters is that he gets a wake-up call from a sport that’s leached off his aura and success. Golf can deliver the ultimate gift to Woods with some garden-variety tough love.
Tiger should not be at The Masters next week. Nor should he be allowed to attend the opening of The Loop par-3 course at The Patch. The Lords of Augusta National meant well by bringing one of his foundation’s learning labs to the town, while adding a fun pitch-and-putt designed by Woods. But they should ask him to stay home. Because other than Payne’s lecture in 2010, they’ve accommodated Woods as a five-time winner. They have the power to stop him from being a five-time rollover specialist who has miraculously not killed anyone.
Woods has also been allowed to sully special moments of others, and that needs to stop. Gary Woodland just won a Tour event in one of the great comebacks in golf history. Rory McIlroy will be returning the Green Jacket to a very special Masters, where an incredible dinner is planned among golf greats. As nice as it would be to have all of the living career Grand Slam winners there to toast McIlroy, Woods would diminish the proceedings after his latest incident.
The PGA of America needs to move on to Plan B for its 2027 Ryder Cup captaincy. A decision was due from Woods soon for a gig he has shown an odd ambivalence toward.
The PGA Tour needs to drop Woods from the committee making major decisions about the future until he shows he’s understood how—can’t believe I’m typing this—it’s a privilege to get in a car and go to Medalist to hit balls without risking the lives of others.
In the spirit of vintage values and retro responsibility, it’d be nice to see the sport set aside phony optics plays, dreams of huge ratings, and profit concerns to send Tiger a message. One that will inspire him to ask for assistance from professionals who can help him find ways to manage whatever pains him.
Also…
Woods remains in the Masters field as of Sunday night, and there is no deadline to officially enter The Masters. (Miller/The Athletic)
Before the accident, Woods had met the registration deadline for entry into the 2026 U.S. Senior Open at Scioto.
The reaction from bro-media was particularly weird, and I’m sure will be ignored by the organizations and brands that mysteriously pine for their approval. (Lerner/AwfulAnnouncing.com)
LPGA: Hyo Joo Kim Wins Again
For the second straight week, Hyo Joo Kim held off Nelly Korda to win on the LPGA Tour. Kim’s 28-under-par performance beat Korda by two strokes at Whirlwind Golf Club in Phoenix. The contrast of Kim’s win on a desert course a week after winning at a tight, inland, all-bentgrass Sharon Heights CC bodes well with just a month until the first women’s major.
This was just the second time in LPGA Tour history that the same two players finished 1-2 in back-to-back weeks (Annika Sorenstam and Se Ri Pak in 2001).
Kim is the first player in LPGA history to shoot two 61s in the same tournament. In this case, she was the defending champion at the Ford Championship.
Korda still has plenty to hold on to despite consecutive runner-up finishes. As in, 22 birdies and four eagles over the four days.
