Golf- perhaps more than most other sports- seldom has time for sentiment. There are too many variables at play, too many exceptionally talented individuals vying for the same prize.
True fairytale stories are rare in a sport where the margins are so razor thin (there’s only one champion and around 100 losers every week). But Anthony Kim’s remarkable LIV renaissance appears to have opened the floodgates for more improbable storylines. The two grand tours delivered some Lifetime-style drama last week, with Gary Woodland and Alex Fitzpatrick defying belief with their sensational victories.
Not a dry eye in the house
Gary Woodland cantered to victory at last week’s Houston Open, blowing the field away by five shots ahead of the year’s first major championship. Woodland shot to golfing stardom back in 2019, outduelling major specialist Brooks Koepka en route to a US Open victory at Pebble Beach. Jon Rahm is perhaps the only other man I have seen take down major-hunting Koepka with such steely resolve. Who would have thought that Woodland wouldn’t win another title for seven years? His form fluctuated dramatically in the immediate aftermath of that US Open triumph, and he would slowly start to lose his place among the golfing elite. But then life intervened, putting missed cuts and FedEx Cup points into sharp perspective.
Medical emergency
Woodland began experiencing a variety of symptoms in April 2023, ranging from irrational fear to partial seizures. He was subsequently diagnosed with a brain tumour and underwent surgery to have it removed in September of that year. He has recently opened up about the difficulty of the recovery process and the resultant PTSD. Woodland has apparently sought advice from veterans with how to deal with the lingering psychological effects of this trying period. He is still prone to bouts of anxiety and hypervigilance (he said that some encroaching spectators psyched him out during the 2nd round of last week’s action).
Back and better than ever
But Woodland rose above it in remarkable fashion last week, blitzing the field to win his first trophy since that US Open triumph. And this wasn’t some ‘veteran managing his way around the course better the young guns’ type thing. No, the 41-year-old Woodland blasted his way around Memorial Park Golf Course, firing a 366-yard bazooka from the 3rd tee-box in the final round. At the risk of sounding facetious, what he and coach Randy Smith have done with the driver is almost as miraculous as his recovery. Woodland has gained an incredible 20 yards worth of distance and currently leads the PGA Tour in driving distance and ball speed! Tiger Woods dominated the headlines this past weekend, crashing his car for the umpteenth time when apparently under the influence. Look, Tiger is Tiger, and we all wish him well conquering whatever demons he is clearly struggling with. But perhaps golfers like Woodland are the ones that should be idolized.
Keeping it in the family
Ok, this story doesn’t have quite the same life-and-death stakes of the Woodland saga. Still, Alex Fitzpatrick’s victory at the Hero Indian Open has its own uniquely emotional, familial throughline. The younger brother of Matthew Fitzpatrick, Alex Fitzpatrick has long lived in the shadow of the former US Open champ. Fitzy Jr. turned professional in 2022 and finished T17 at the 2023 Open Championship (his first major appearance). He has flirted with contention on several occasions on the DP World Tour, but consistency has eluded him.
Brotherly inspiration
But he finally brought home the bacon last week, overcoming a six-shot deficit to claim an unlikely Hero Indian Open title. It was an emotional moment that meant that he and his brother- who he idolizes to death- are now both DP World Tour winners. But the craziest thing is that Fitzy Jr’s breakthrough victory came just one week after Fitzy Sr’s gritty triumph at Copperhead. It marks the first time that brothers have won in successive weeks on the PGA and DP World Tour! Unfortunately, Fitzy Jr’s efforts have come a bit too late for him to earn a spot at the upcoming Masters. But it’s a major hoodoo off his back as he looks to build some solid Race to Dubai momentum.
Crazy times
How on earth did these two events happen in the same weekend? Woodland’s victory was the type of Cinderella-man comeback story that wouldn’t look out of place on the big screen (ok, maybe straight to streaming). On top of that, the Fitzpatrick’s tale of brotherly success sounds like golfing fanfiction. What a time to be a golfing enthusiast.
