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Gary Woodland Begins Masters With Added Security as He Manages PTSD

Coordinated measures at Augusta help the 41-year-old compete despite crowd triggers from post-surgical PTSD.

Overview

  • Speaking Tuesday at Augusta National, Woodland said he met with the club’s security team and now knows where guards will be stationed on every hole.
  • He explained that visible security calms on-course hypervigilance, a PTSD symptom that can be set off by a fan, a walking scorer, or a camera operator moving behind him.
  • Two weeks after publicly disclosing his diagnosis in early March, he won the Texas Children's Houston Open and credited constant security presence and caddie reminders for helping him finish.
  • The diagnosis followed 2023 brain surgery that removed most of a lesion near his amygdala, the brain region tied to fear and anxiety, with lingering effects fueling his symptoms.
  • Woodland said speaking openly has made him feel stronger and has drawn supportive messages, and his accommodations highlight how tours and venues can adapt so athletes can safely compete.