Gary Woodland finally received his long-awaited invitation to the PNC Championship, five years after winning the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
The major champion will tee it up alongside his father, Dan, this week at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando. Despite meeting the tournament’s basic requirement—being a major champion—Woodland had to wait half a decade for his spot in the increasingly coveted field.
“We talked about it for a while. It was nice to get the call,” Woodland said. “This is a special one. I know it’s a major-champion deal, so I knew when I won in ’19 that we’d have an opportunity. From a health standpoint, this is the first year that we’ve really been able to do it.”
The invitation carries extra significance following Woodland’s brain tumor diagnosis in 2023. He’s still dealing with symptoms after surgery but has returned to competitive golf. For Woodland, competing alongside his father—the man who introduced him to the game—represents a meaningful milestone after an incredibly challenging period.
“My whole life is in perspective now. To be honest, I probably took it for granted being out here. This is my 17th year out here on Tour. You just expect that to happen every year,” Woodland said.
The health challenges extended beyond Gary to his father as well.
“It’s still been a journey. I’m still battling. I’m still grinding,” he continued. “My first tournament back after surgery was Sony, and I got a call the Saturday before from my mom that my dad got diagnosed with cancer. So my poor mom’s been through it more than either one of us, dealing with us.”
There’s been good news on both fronts. Dan “rang the bell” for being cancer-free almost a year ago, while Gary continues his recovery.
“I’ve gotten to a point where I’m still healing but I’m getting better. This is a special week for both of us for perspective for sure.”
The biggest challenge for Team Woodland might actually be on the course. Dan admitted receiving the tournament invitation triggered some competitive anxiety and a rushed practice schedule.
“Unfortunately, I don’t play a whole lot. Gary gave me a call about a month ago, month and a half ago, and I can tell you, I’ve hit more golf balls the last month and a half than I have the last 25 years,” the elder Woodland said. “I spend a lot of time with my grandkids, but how can you turn this opportunity down? It’s awesome.”
