Gary Woodland had almost every single person involved with the game of golf pulling for him on Sunday at the Houston Open.
Woodland’s struggles with PTSD following his brain surgery were thrust into the public domain when the 41-year-old opened up on his problems at The Players Championship earlier this month.
The man from Topeka, Kansas, played some exemplary golf last week at the Houston Open, and it seems as though that was a direct result of getting all of his mental health issues off his chest.
Woodland stormed to victory at the Houston Open and his triumph at Memorial Park was one of the most popular wins in recent years.
President Donald Trump reacted on social media to Woodland’s win on Sunday, as did many of the 41-year-old’s fellow PGA Tour players.
The Houston Open fans supported Gary Woodland all week at Memorial Park, and he was a very worthy winner in the end.
And the President of the United States was mightily impressed by what the 2019 U.S. Open champion has just achieved.
President Donald Trump reacts as Gary Woodland wins the Houston Open
Woodland received well wishes from all over the globe after his win in Houston on Sunday.
His fellow pros and golf fans alike were absolutely delighted to see Woodland get over the line at Memorial Park.
And Trump was clearly very happy for the long-hitting American as well.
He took to his Truth Social account to offer a message of congratulations to the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open winner.
“Congratulations to a great guy, and golfer, Gary Woodland, on his big win today in the Texas Children’s Houston Open,“ Trump wrote.
“He shot 21 under par! What a GREAT comeback from a serious health problem he has achieved. Gary is a total WINNER!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP.“
To receive a message like that from the President of the United States must have been so surreal for Woodland.
And it is yet further proof that he has so many people behind him, fighting his corner.
Gary Woodland explains how opening up on PTSD struggles has helped him
“It allows me to focus my energy on me,“ Woodland admitted.
“You know, when I’m out here and I’m playing and people are talking to me and all that and I’m trying to hide the battle that I’m fighting, I was wasting a lot of energy on that.
“Now that people know what I’m fighting, I’m focusing my energy on trying to slow my heart rate down, trying to slow my thoughts down. That’s tough to do when I’m trying to hide stuff.
“Still, my heart rate gets going, I had a battle this week. The last 10 holes on Friday, I teed off on 9 and some people behind the ropes got close to me and I got extremely hyper-vigilant.
“I’ll tell you this, if it wasn’t for Tour security and my security, Zach, this week, there’s no way I’m sitting here right now. I was a wreck the last 10 holes of that day.
“I got into scoring, Zach got close to me, Tour security was visual so I saw them so they calmed me down.
“I got into scoring, I bawled my eyes out, I reset and was able to come back out and take care of some stuff after.
“Coming out, talking and asking for help, I didn’t do that last year. I didn’t do that early this year. If I wouldn’t ask Tour security, they wouldn’t have been there for me like that. I’m extremely thankful for them.
“But I’m in a fight. I’m able — with the love and support I have around me, I have hope.“