Gary Woodland performs ‘finest spherical all 12 months,’ has blast with Tiger Woods

Over the previous 12 months or so, Gary Woodland has been to hell and again.

He underwent surgical procedure in September to take away a lesion docs found on his mind. Within the months earlier than, he may barely focus, fearing for his life. He was overcome with nervousness, as complications additionally made his life depressing.

Since his operation, Woodland has labored tirelessly to rebuild his golf swing and get again to competing among the many sport’s elite. Getting his physique to rotate prefer it ought to has additionally been part of the method.

Understanding this, considered one of his finest mates on the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods, invited Gary Woodland to this week’s Genesis Invitational, the event hosted by Woods.

He made the a lot of the alternative, carding a 1-under 70 at Riviera Nation Membership, some of the difficult programs on the PGA Tour. He performed alongside Woods and Justin Thomas.

“That was the very best I performed all 12 months. My caddie even mentioned that once I bought finished,” Woodland mentioned.

Picture by Ronald Martinez/Getty Photos

“Enjoying with T-Dub, actually must concentrate on your self, you’ll be able to’t get too distracted on the market. I feel most likely earlier this 12 months I’ve been just a little distracted. Everybody’s been so supportive, followers, everybody. I most likely took into that just a little bit an excessive amount of. In the present day, I used to be into myself, into my sport, and I used to be very happy with the way it went.”

Woodland bought off to a terrific begin, making birdie on his first three holes to rapidly get to 3-under by way of three.

Bogeys on the insanely robust par-3 4th and par-3 sixth introduced him again to 1-under, however he rapidly bounced again with a birdie on the difficult par-4 seventh.

He eagled the par-5 eleventh, which was rapidly negated by a double bogey at 12. He then went on to three-putt the par-5 seventeenth, making bogey.

“I haven’t performed effectively in a very long time, so beginning to see some issues simply type of validated that I’m doing the correct issues and I’m transferring the correct manner,” Woodland defined.

“It was good to see some putts go in. Exterior of the three-putt on 17 and the double there on 12, I performed superbly, so I’ve so much to construct on.”

Contemplating the place Woodland was a few weeks in the past, seeing him have this a lot success at Riviera is a unprecedented sight to see.

“After I bought residence from Torrey Pines, I had a tough week the off-week. I simply wasn’t there and didn’t really feel like myself once more, which is irritating,” Woodland mentioned.

Picture by Ben Jared/PGA Tour by way of Getty Photos

“My group’s beginning to discuss so much and talk in the event that they see one thing. My caddie’s been nice, making me go residence, and I am going right into a darkish room for a few hours. I missed the reduce. We stayed, and he pressured me to take a time without work. It’s laborious for me. I wish to get out and work. We’ve simply bought to observe that just a little bit, which is irritating…

“However right this moment was a giant step for me in the correct course.”

Woodland has not made a reduce but in 2024, which has evidently annoyed the previous U.S. Open champion. However that doesn’t matter within the grand scheme of issues.

What does matter is his well being, and Woodland nonetheless finds himself feeling the ramifications of the mind lesion.

“[When I don’t] really feel like myself, [I am] very irritable, moody, simply not all there actually,” Woodland defined.

“When that occurs, I’ve bought to get right into a darkish room. It’s concussion protocol greater than something: flip the lights off, no noise, no overstimulation… So I used to be very completely satisfied and happy with right this moment with every thing happening that I used to be in a position to keep in it. As I mentioned, it was positively the very best day I had all 12 months.”

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. You’ll want to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.