It once looked improbable, but Gary Woodland pulled off a win at the 2026 Houston Open on Sunday, his first victory since undergoing brain surgery in 2023.
The 41-year-old Woodland was understandably emotional following his success at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas, as he held on to his lead and finished strong to secure his fifth PGA Tour win.
“We play an individual sport out here, but I wasn’t alone today,” Woodland said in his interview with NBC after his win. “I got a lot of people behind me, my team, my family and this golf world. Anybody that’s struggling with something, I hope they see me and don’t give up, just keep fighting.”
Topeka's Own Gary Woodland wins the Houston Open- 2.5 years after Brain Surgery
— Kole Emplit (@KoleEmplit) March 29, 2026
"We play an individual sport, but today I wasn't alone… anybody that's struggling with something, I hope they see me and don't give up. Just keep fighting."
Amazing.
(video from NBC) pic.twitter.com/FLRkqHSC9Y
Woodland finished the tournament carding 21-under-259, five strokes better than the rest of the field.
Considering what he had gone through, Woodland’s Houston Open win perhaps meant more to him than his other victories, including his triumph at the 2019 U.S. Open.
Woodland entered the final round with just a one-shot lead over Nicolai Hojgaard. He staved off his challengers with a strong showing in the first half of the fourth round, making four birdies and zero bogeys through nine holes. From there, he recorded par on each hole the rest of the way, only running into some trouble on the 14th hole with a bogey.
