Gary Woodland had a tough tough Saturday night, a long Sunday day putting him on the wrong side of the FedEx Cup bubble.
But he looked at it all in an optimistic way.
“There are many positives in this season,” Woodland said. “It won’t keep going. But I’m excited about the break. I need it. Get off, spend time with my family, get healthier, and then get ready for the Ryder Cup.”
Entering this week’s Wyndham Championship, Woodland ranked 75th in the FedEx Cup rankings, five fewer than the top 70 playoff cutoff. He is still in the playoffs. But he also admitted that he has been working on his physical and mental recovery efforts from the surgery he underwent in 2023. Woodland even said he probably shouldn’t be on the PGA Tour in 2024.
Woodland has a strong start to 2025 and has finished with three top 25. But since then, his drama has failed. This week, at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, Woodland opened the game 67-64 to get himself in a competition, but he tied 70 rounds Saturday and Sunday to finish the T23. Woodland entered Sunday’s final round as Bubble Boy, expected to end with 70 points.
It was a good performance, but not good enough, as he ranks 72nd in FedEx’s ranking.
Woodland said he went all out. But he also admitted that the pressure of the game caught up with him.
“I used up gasoline. I did,” he said. “Today, I’m going to tell you. I’m telling you, he’s incredible. I told him, I started to struggle. I had a tough night last night, and this morning was tough.
Woodland’s season may be over, but his work is not done as he will be the assistant captain of Keegan Bradley in September at Bethpage Black’s Ryder Cup.
In this role, Woodland will definitely give an opinion on Bradley’s draft pick to choose the captain. At Wyndham, Woodland took a closer look at one of the possible contenders, Cameron Young, who escaped with a six-shot victory.
Does Young’s dominant performance indicate that he is suitable for Team USA?
“I mean, the way he drives a golf ball, his throwing statistics this year are also very good,” Woodland said. “Cam has a lot of talent and you can bring a lot of talent at any time, which helps everyone. I’m happy for him. Like I said, I think it’s just his beginning.”
In other words, it is too early for such conversation. But for woodland, at least it hasn’t turned back too early.
“It’s a good year in many ways, but I have a lot of ways to go,” Woodland said. “The best part of my game is a really good place and I’m happy with it.”
