The PGA Tour pro we all should be rooting for

Golf Digest

I first interviewed Gary Woodland in March 2007. He was a senior at the University of Kansas, focused on golf after first going to D-II Washburn to play basketball. His length with every club in his bag showcased his natural athletic ability, but his golf talents were raw, and he knew it. He humbly accepted the challenge ahead, one that resulted in him winning the 2019 U.S. Open.

More than 19 years later, Woodland again has humbly accepted the challenge ahead, this one far more weighty. Three years on from brain surgery to remove a tumor, Woodland spoke out about the PTSD he’s suffered since, hoping by going public it can release the pain of keeping the secret to himself. His game goes through fits and spurts, but the 42-year-old is still capable of success on the PGA Tour, as evidenced by his win in Houston in March and his first-round lead at this week’s BMW Championship. If you’re looking for a pro to root for at Bellerive, here’s your man.

‘I'm proud of where I'm at’

Gary Woodland’s inspiring season continues with chance to advance to East Lake

By Dave Shedloski

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Alex Myers

Did a Sergio Garcia Masters outburst cost LIV its PIF funding? That’s what a new Financial Times report says. Garcia broke his driver and damaged a tee box during the final round at Augusta National earlier this year. The 2017 Masters champ issued an apology two days later, but according to FT, he did a different type of damage to LIV through the “embarrassment” caused to Saudi PIF governor and former LIV chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

If so, that was one expensive temper tantrum.

Jay Coffin

Barb Moxness, at 73, is the oldest player in the field at the U.S. Senior Women’s Open. With JoAnne Carner no longer competing, eyes turned to Moxness to see if she could shoot a number near her age. On Thursday at Barton Hills in Michigan she made three bogeys and two birdies to shoot 73, making it the third time in her last five rounds at this championship that she’s shot her age or better. An amazing feat for the woman who was a rookie on the LPGA in 1978. “I keep saying to myself every year are you going to retire now, then things happen and I don’t,” she said. “It’s harder as I get older. It’s harder to stay in shape, it’s harder to stay stronger. I don’t think mentally I’m quite as focused as I used to be. But I can still get out there and do it.” Golf … such an amazing game!

Alex Myers

Owen Wilson’s golf comedy series is set to return. Apple TV announced the second season of “Stick” will premiere Nov. 4. And it looks like Emmy Award nominee Rhea Seehorn (“Pluribus” and “Better Call Saul”) is joining an already stellar cast. I had the pleasure of profiling Wilson and writing about how his role as Pryce Cahill, a former tour pro whose career was cut short, got him into golf. And with more than two months until “Stick” season 2 starts, golf fans have plenty of time to get caught up on season 1—or, to at least read Golf Digest’s story.