Gary Woodland and Wife Relive ‘Fear of Death’ of ‘Career Ruiner’ That Nearly Killed His Masters Dream

Magnolia Lane houses dreams. Gary Woodland, a player who lost it all after last year’s Masters upon his diagnosis with a “career ruiner” brain tumor also had a dream. He is now “back to Magnolia Lane” for the 2024 edition of the event in hopes of making his resurgence after a long fight overcoming his “fear of death” at the same Augusta National Golf Course where everything began.

But it has not been an easy journey for Woodland to be able to see through his Masters dream from the other side of the road. Living with the daunting question, “What if I can’t hold my kids again?” makes life no less than a nightmare. Despite the horrors, however, the 39-year-old underwent months of mental and physical challenges, including brain surgery, to get here. So what has this life-altering experience taught the Woodlands?

Gary Woodland and his wife share their story upon his return

Living with a malignancy as daunting as the one the 4-time PGA Tour champion was diagnosed with is not “an easy journey” to undergo. Along with the physical toll the ailment takes on the warriors, there is also the forever-triggering uncertainty that surrounds every breath they take.

The toll that these “what ifs” take is much more severe, and the same led to the 2019 U.S. Open winner opting to do “one of the hardest things,” and write a letter to his loved ones if things were not to go as they hoped. Woodland explained his reason for taking this step and said, “To tell my girls that there’s nothing more that I’d want to do than walk them down the aisle. Tell my son, I’m not going to see him be what he wants to be. To tell my wife how much she meant to me and I would not change a thing.”

Adding to this was his wife, Gabby Woodland, the one person who saw him through all these phases and difficult decisions. Describing her experience, she said, “This is like a career ruiner and he’s just panicking…I just remember him going back in the bedroom to write it and him just coming out and he was just bawling. Our kids are so young, missing out on, not only big things like weddings and stuff, but like their daily grind, it’s gonna be hard.”

Thankfully, things went as they hoped, and Woodland underwent a craniotomy, which led the doctors to “successfully cut a baseball-sized hole into his skull and remove the bulk of the lesion.” The talented star made use of the time he spent rehabilitating by connecting with the game in the comfort of his home.

They installed a putting green in their dining room to aid the PGA Tour professional in his physical and professional recovery. While his journey to recovery continues, the Masters remain in the best spot to make a roaring return. What does Woodland have to say about his upcoming appearance at Augusta National Golf Course?

Gary Woodland on his 12th appearance at the Masters

While “the road to recovery continues,” Woodland’s Masters appearance marks an unexpected milestone in his career as the star is attempting to play the first major just after six months of surgery and a forgettable attempt at a comeback in January at the Sony Open. Despite the unfortunate aftermath of last year’s event, 2023 marked Woodland’s top finish of T14 in the Georgia-based event, leaving fans with a bundle full of expectations and hopes for their favorite star’s revival this year.

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“Dreams do come true,” said the brave survivor, quoting the sheer significance of the Georgian major in his personal and professional journey. While Woodland has never been able to secure a win at the Masters in the past and has missed making five cuts in total out of his eleven past entries, he has a “new perspective on his golf career and life” to light his way through the challenges the 12th time around.

Only time will tell whether he will be able to register a second major win this season and make history with his first win at the Masters after only recently winning a battle against life and death or not. What do you think about Gary Woodland’s revival from brain surgery and appearance at the ANGC this week? Share your views in the comments section below.

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