Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland is recovering after undergoing surgery on Monday to remove a lesion from his brain.
Woodland had the “majority of the tumor” removed from his brain on Monday, according to a statement posted to his social media account. He is now resting.
“After a long surgery today, the majority of the tumor has been removed and he is currently resting,” the update from Woodland’s team read. “At this time, the family requests space and privacy to be together. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers as he gets started on the road to recovery.”
earlier this year with a lesion on his brain. He had been trying to treat the symptoms with medication, but they determined that surgery was the best path forward.
Lesions are spots on the brain that indicate injured or damaged tissue, and they can cause significant problems depending on what part of the brain they are located on. For example, lesions on the frontal lobe can lead to learning issues, visual motor function, agitation and mood swings and more, while lesions on the parietal lobe could lead to numbness, the inability to write or do math, confusion of left and right and more, .
It’s unclear where Woodland’s lesion was located, what symptoms he was dealing with or how severe they were.
Woodland, 39, first turned pro in 2007. He’s won four times in his career on the PGA Tour, including at the 2019 U.S. Open. Woodland played in 24 events last season on Tour, including at all four major championships. He finished T14 at the Masters in April and most recently played at the Wyndham Championship in August, though he failed to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs. He made 18 cuts in total last season, and had six top 25 finishes.
It’s unclear how long Woodland will be sidelined recovering from his brain surgery, or when he will return to golf.
