Overview
- Back at Augusta for the first time since 2024, Woodland said he still fights severe anxiety and intrusive fears on course and needs visible protection to feel secure.
- He described becoming hypervigilant during his Houston Open victory and said quick movements behind him by fans or staff can trigger panic.
- Woodland underwent a craniotomy in September 2023 to remove a benign brain lesion, with doctors leaving some tissue to protect his vision and left-side function, and he returned to play about four months later.
- He was later diagnosed with PTSD after months of panic attacks, tremors, and partial seizures tied to pressure on the brain’s fear center, and he has now spoken publicly about ongoing triggers.
- His Houston Open win was his first PGA Tour title since the surgery, and his openness plus a 2024 PGA Tour Courage Award have made his comeback a touchpoint for mental-health awareness in golf.