Gary Woodland claimed an emotional and inspirational victory at the Texas Children's Houston Open, beating Nicolai Hojgaard by five just weeks after revealing a PTSD diagnosis.
The 41-year-old, who had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor in 2023, opened up on his struggles with PTSD earlier in the month, but he put his difficulties behind him with a superb victory at Memorial Park Golf Course to seal his first win since the 2019 US Open.
Woodland began the day with a one-shot lead over Hojgaard, with defending champion Min Woo Lee in the final group too, albeit six back of the leader.
Hojgaard, in pursuit of his maiden PGA Tour win, suffered a setback immediately with a bogey at the first while Woodland made par.
Woodland's lead increased to three with his first birdie of the day at the fifth, although Hojgaard pegged him back at the sixth with a birdie of his own.
That would have given the Dane hope, but it was all but extinguished on the next hole, where Woodland made another birdie only for Hojgaard to make a costly double bogey, and suddenly the lead was five.
The pair both birdied the eighth, before Woodland increased his lead to six at the ninth with his third consecutive birdie of the day as Hojgaard settled for par.
A commanding lead became a virtually unassailable seven at the 10th courtesy of another bogey from Hojgaard, and from that moment, it just appeared a matter of how many Woodland, who finished runner-up a year ago, would win by.
There was a glimmer of hope for the challenger at the 14th, when Hojgaard made another birdie before Woodland bogeyed for the first time in 21 holes, but, with the deficit still five, the leader remained firmly in control.
Things could have got decidedly closer had Hojgaard made an eagle putt at the par-5 16th. He set it up with a booming 395-yard drive, but when the chance to close the gap to three narrowly missed, he settled for a birdie to move to four back of Woodland.
It stayed that way until the 18th, by which point Woodland's win was a mere formality. After taking the applause of fans, Hojgaard and Lee as he strode down the fairway, Woodland set up a short putt for par.
Before the leader took center stage, Hojgaard missed his own short putt for par to hand his opponent a five-shot lead, and that's how it stayed, with the American completing his round of 67 with a par to hand him an incredible victory.
What a moment ❤️ pic.twitter.com/nwPC0Y75sfMarch 29, 2026
Afterwards, he said: "I'll tell you what, we play an individual sport out here, but I wasn't alone today. 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."
Even in the immediate aftermath of victory, Woodland, who will now play in The Masters as a result of the win, remained determined to see the bigger picture.
"We play an individual sport but I wasn't alone today."An emotional Gary Woodland reflects on his win only a few years removed from brain surgery. pic.twitter.com/jflXsA3AcRMarch 29, 2026
He added: "It's just another day, right, that I've got to keep healing. Today was a good day. But I'm going to keep fighting. I've got a big fight ahead of me and I'm going to keep going, but I'm proud of myself right now."
He also had a message for his family, including his wife, Gabby, saying: "I wouldn't be anywhere before this without them, there's no chance I could do this without Gabby, for sure. This has been hard on me, this has been a lot harder on her and I love her to death."
TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOUSTON OPEN LEADERBOARD
- -21 Gary Woodland (67)
- -16 Nicolai Hojgaard (71)
- -15 Johnny Keefer (64)
- -15 Min Woo Lee (67)
- -14 Sam Stevens (67)
- -13 Jake Knapp (62)
- -13 Chris Gotterup (65)
- -13 Sudarshan Yellamajura (67)
- -13 Jason Day (68)
- -12 Bronson Burgoon (66)
- -12 Sahith Theegala (68)
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WELCOME
Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the Texas Children's Houston Open final round at Memorial Park Golf Course.
We've had a fantastic final round already today with a couple of aces from Shane Lowry and Adam Scott, respectively, plus a tied course record from Jake Knapp.
In addition, Gary Woodland has continued his part in one of the year's undoubted feel-good stories. With seven holes to go, the 2019 US Open champion leads by seven strokes and appears destined to lift a PGA Tour trophy once more.
Join us for Woodland's walk to the title as we bring you all of the key moments as they happen.
WOODLAND IN CONTROL
Gary Woodland is surely about to claim his fifth PGA Tour title. The 2019 US Open champion leads by seven on the back nine, and not only is he closing in on a win by the widest margin of his PGA Tour career, it would surely be the most inspirational.
Woodland had brain surgery in 2023, while only earlier this month he revealed a PTSD diagnosis. Let's see how he does over the closing holes.
FRUSTRATION FROM LEE
Min Woo Lee is the defending champion, but, back in third, he tosses his club to the side in disgust after his second at the par-4 12th misses the green.
Nicolai Hojgaard is the closest to Woodland, but facing a seven-shot deficit, his chances of victory seem all but gone.
CLOSE FROM NICOLAI
Nicolai Hojgaard has a long birdie putt at the 12th in an apparently forlorn bid to put any sort of heat on Woodland. It drifts narrowly left, though, and he'll retain a one-shot advantage over Min Woo Lee in third.
WOODLAND MARCHES ON
The leader makes a par at the 12th to remain on 22 under, and, with no real pressure from the chasing pack, he finds the fairway at the 13th as his stroll towards the title continues.
TROUBLE AT THE 13TH
The final group are at the the 13th green, where Nicolai Hojgaard tries a bump and run towards the hole, but it's misjudged and rolls right back down the slope. Seconds later, Min Woo Lee tries a similar shot, and has the same result. Woodland, meanwhile, is on the green and has a birdie putt.
NICE PAR SAVE FROM LEE
Lee opts for putter for his second attempt to reach the green, and makes it this time. It leaves a lengthy par putt, but that's a good save and he remains on 14 under.
PAR FOR THE LEADER
Next up is Woodland, whose makeable birdie putt misses right. No drama, though, he taps in for par and remains on 22 under.
WOODLAND SCRAMBLING AT THE 14TH
Woodland is scrambling for par at the 14th, having failed to reach the green with his second. His chip on the third is nice, but it goes beyond the cup.
Soon after, Min Woo Lee faces a long par putt, and it heads right. He'll go back to 13 under.
TWO-SHOT SWING AT THE 14TH
Just like that, there's a two-shot swing. First Woodland makes his first bogey in 21 holes at the 14th, before second-placed Hojgaard makes a birdie at the same hole to move to 15 under.
Woodland still leads by five, but he'll have just a little pressure on him as the final group heads to the 15th.
A two-shot swing at the 14th brings Nicolai Højgaard within five of Gary Woodland's lead with four to play @TCHouOpen.📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/w6ZYT9IIBrMarch 29, 2026
WOODLAND STILL ON TRACK
You have to wonder what emotions Woodland is going through just now. After so much adversity in recent years, he's now just four holes away from a fifth PGA Tour win.
He's just been pegged back at the 14th, with Nicolai Hojgaard reducing his lead to five. Will that create a few jitters for the 41-year-old? It doesn't seem likely, and he finds the green at the 15th to leave a long birdie opportunity.
NOT QUITE, NICOLAI
At the 15th green, Hojgaard really needs his long, long birdie putt to drop to put serious pressure on the leader. It breaks and heads towards it's target, but stops a few feet short.
For Woodland, the need for a birdie is nowhere near as urgent, and his putt is nicely judged. It leaves a tap in for par.
Lee then makes par too and it's as we were.
FINAL GROUP ON THE 16TH
On the 16th, Min Woo Lee's wayward back nine continues as he finds the pine straw with his tee shot.
Woodland is next on the tee, and he finds the rough to the left of the fairway.
Hojgaard, meanwhile, hit a 395-yard drive!
A 392 yard bomb 💥Nicolai Højgaard hit it nearly 20 yards further than anyone else at the 16th @TCHouOpen.📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/PCNhnelbX6March 29, 2026
NICOLAI APPLIES THE PRESSURE
Hojgaard, five behind Woodland, needs to play aggressively to stand a chance here, and, following a 395-yard drive off the tee at the par-5 16th, he sends his second to within eagle territory. This could get interesting yet...
HOJGAARD CLOSES GAP AT 16TH
Woodland's birdie putt misses left at the 16th, but that's OK, he'll make par.
Now Hojgaard's eagle attempt. Can he reduce Woodland's lead to three? Not quite. It misses by a whisker but it leaves a tap-in for birdie and Woodland's lead is down to four.
STEADY FROM LEADER
Steady from Woodland at the 17th, who hits a low drive to the middle of the fairway. He just needs to hold his nerve now, and he'll have his fifth PGA Tour win.
TRICKY FOR WOODLAND AT 17TH
Gary Woodland finds the front of the green with his second at the 17th to move ever closer to victory. The problem is the birdie putt he faces has som 90 feet to go.
Meanwhile, back in the clubhouse is Johnny Keefer in third following a round of 64.
EXCELLENT FROM WOODLAND
Woodland's effort from 90 feet is good. It comes up maybe five feet short, which is missable, but he looks relaxed enough with a four-shot cushion.
CLOSE FOR NICOLAI
Hojgaard has a birdie putt from 21 feet at the 17th. If he holes this, the deficit on Woodland will be three.
It's a great effort, but it rolls past and both he and Woodland clean up for par.
TOP WORK, GARY!
You have to admire Gary Woodland's temperament. Just weeks after revealing a PTSD diagnosis, he has held his nerve admirably, even when seeing a seven-shot lead reduced to five, then four in the closing holes.
His tee shot at the 18th is a little wayward, but even then, it shouldn't pose much of an issue, and he's now just minutes from an inspirational victory
LEADER TAKES THE APPLAUSE
Gary Woodland takes the applause as he strolls down the 18th fairway. He's now just minutes from his first win since the 2019 US Open. No wonder fans are rooting for him after the tribulations he has endured in recent years.
Nicolai Hojgaard and Min Woo Lee also applaud Woodland. A lovely touch.
WOODLAND ON THE CUSP
Woodland, short of the green, sends his third about four feet past.
GARY WOODLAND WINS THE TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOUSTON OPEN!
Hogjaard's long putt for birdie is good, but rolls left, and next up is Lee with a short birdie putt. He makes it to finish in T3.
Coming back for par, Hojgaard misses right, then taps in for bogey and he's runner-up.
Now the stage is set for Woodland. Ga-ry, Ga-ry come the chants from the fans. He steadies himself and rolls in the winning putt before the tears flow as he embraces his caddie. Amazing stuff from the 2019 US Open winner.
