Gary Woodland leads in Houston, eyes first win since U.S. Open

HOUSTON (AP) — Gary Woodland fought hard to maintain his lead on Saturday at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. He secured a crucial 5-under 65 with two late birdies, giving him a narrow one-shot advantage over Nicolai Højgaard as he seeks his first victory since the 2019 U.S. Open.

Both Woodland and Højgaard (who shot 63) played perfectly during the closing hour at Memorial Park, pulling away from the field. As they head into Sunday, no other competitor is within five strokes of their lead.

Woodland has gained significant admiration in the golf world for his candid recovery journey since undergoing brain surgery in September 2023. This month, he publicly shared his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder in a moving interview at THE PLAYERS Championship.

His performance on the course appears to be as strong as ever, demonstrating complete command of his swing and harnessing his full athletic capability.

“I simply need to take a moment and breathe,” Woodland commented. “I plan on a restful night to recuperate, and tomorrow, I’ll remind myself not to get carried away. I’m in this position for a purpose, so I’ll take a deep breath and stick to my strategy.”

Woodland reached 18-under 192, marking his first 54-hole lead since his major win at Pebble Beach in 2019. A recent adjustment to his iron shafts has aided him, as he observed a slight loss of control when his swing speed returned.

He demonstrated exceptional play in the closing holes, a necessity with Højgaard close behind. On the par-5 16th, Woodland skillfully hit a 2-iron shot over the water directly onto the green – a feat achieved by only five players – leading to a two-putt birdie.

Woodland’s drive on the accessible par-4 17th landed in a bunker with such momentum that it bounced onto the fringe, allowing him to chip within 5 feet for another birdie.

Højgaard matched Woodland’s efforts, making a superb chip on the 16th for a birdie and successfully converting a sand save on the 17th for another. The Danish golfer re-entered contention with a 62 on Friday and sustained his strong performance with a 63 on Saturday, accumulating 15 birdies and an eagle over these two rounds.

Min Woo Lee, the reigning champion, shot a 67, and Michael Thorbjornsen recorded a 66, both trailing by five strokes. Sunday is crucial for Thorbjornsen, currently ranked 56th globally. To secure a Masters invitation, which is extended to the top 50 players after this week, the Massachusetts native will probably need to finish no worse than eighth.

Despite being ranked 47th, Højgaard has not yet secured his Masters spot, though he is highly likely to remain in the top 50 unless an extraordinary sequence of events unfolds at Memorial Park.

For Woodland to return to the Masters, only a win will suffice. However, even such an achievement takes a backseat when considering the profound challenges he has faced.

His surgery aimed to excise a significant portion of a lesion that caused baseless fears of mortality. Woodland rejoined the PGA TOUR at the start of 2024, but it was only recently that he disclosed his ongoing battle with PTSD, describing instances where he would weep during rounds and seek solitude in the restroom.

Publicly sharing this information brought immense relief to Woodland, who remarked earlier in the week that he felt “a huge weight lifted.”

The current objective is to triumph at the Texas Children’s, a tournament where he was a runner-up last year. Woodland currently leads the field in approach play and ranks second in putting, a performance aided by a recently adjusted putter for better alignment.

He will face Højgaard, who represented Europe in his Ryder Cup debut in 2023. Notably, Højgaard’s identical twin brother, Rasmus, has already secured his qualification for the Masters.

The 25-year-old Danish golfer boasts three victories on the DP World Tour, including the DP World Tour Championship at the close of 2023. However, a PGA TOUR win still eludes him.

“I understand it will be a tough challenge, and I expect it will likely come down to the final holes,” he stated. “Therefore, the key is to stay competitive, play my absolute best, and then we’ll see what the outcome is.”