KU alum, PGA Tour veteran and the newest member of the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame Gary Woodland meets with the media following his Hall of Fame induction on Sept. 19, 2025.
you you’ve been received plenty of awards in your time. What kind of distinguishes this one from the rest? This one surprised me. Um like I said, when I came here, this isn’t what I was playing for. I play came here to chase my dreams and KU gave me that opportunity and to be recognized for this and for what I’ve been able to do is it means the world to me. I love this place. I love everything about it. Um, and this is it’s special to have my name engraved u into their history forever. You said it surprised you, but was there ever a moment where this sort of came into your mind at all that this was a possibility? I I think when you come back and you walk through the Hall of Fame, you you’d wish you you’d get in there someday, but you never know, right? And it we’ve KU’s got some amazing Adler, some big names in that in in that Hall of Fame. So, I’ll say how proud I am to have my name in there. Um, to be able to walk my kids when I come back for a game and walk my kids through there and show them um that anything’s possible. Um, it’s pretty cool. Growing up a fan, what do you think a young Gary Woodland would think about this? He wouldn’t believe it. He wouldn’t believe it at all. I can promise you that. Um, I’ve been a fan here my whole life. Uh, came to basketball games as a kid. Um, so now being able to put my name in history here is uh something beyond my dreams. You talked about the support KU has given you or gave you during a difficult time. How did that kind of change or deepen your relationship with the I think it deepened it more than anything. They they’ve always supported me. KU’s always been a massive part of my life, especially since 2003 when I came here. But you want to associate yourself with people that you’re close to and KU’s became family for sure. Um I’ve had a tough journey and it’s it’s been documented, but KU’s helped me. They’ve got me in with doctors. They’ve helped me through this medical process. Um when they didn’t have to, you know, I’ve I’ve graduated. I’ve I’ve I’m not even living here, but I’ve moved all my all my healthc care back here because KU’s taken such good care of me. So, it’s uh they’re they’re they’re a special part of my life. In the speech, they referred to you as Manning and Chamberlain. Did you what do you think of that? You’re probably on the Mount Rushmore. It uh that’s probably too much for me. These are guys that I look I mean I met Jo Vaughn last night. He was he was one of my favorites. Danny was my favorite. Jock took over after that when he came through. Um just to have my name even associated thrown around in the same sentence is special. Th those guys are still up on my Mount Rushmore. I’m still looking up at all those guys. Think this will ever sink in for you? Not yet. This is this is emotional night for me. Um, this is I just got the call a couple weeks ago and I I think maybe when I get back to Allen Fieldhouse and see my name in there and I’m able to show my kids, I think it’ll sink in then, but this is still uh a lot for me to take in. Tell us about your excitement for the Ryder Cup. I’m pumped for next week. It’s going to it’s going to be it’s it’s going to be a big deal. We’re headed up there tomorrow. Um, the team’s getting in the next day, but it’s been a special to be part of this process the last couple months to get to know the guys on a deeper level. Um it’s in it’s Beth Page in New York. It’s going to be absolute madness. The f the weather’s going to be perfect. So, it’s going to be it’s going to be a lot, but uh we got some young guys coming in there. We’re trying to get them ready for what to expect. Um but it’s uh it should be a special week. I’m looking forward to it. How do you maintain your Kansas roots uh even on the big stage like the Ryder Cup? Yeah, I think that’s just the way the way I was raised. You know, I was blessed to grow up here. I think Midwest morals. Um, take care of the people around you. And that’s, you know, I’ve been preaching to the RDER Cup guys as well. Take care of the guys standing next to you. Um, we’re we’re more than just ourselves. We’re we’re nothing if we’re not all together. Um, so getting those guys to to buy in and to trust the guys standing next to them and uh hopefully uh hopefully they all do that and we have a great week next week. How do you think you played this year and what’s ahead next year in terms of your schedule? Yeah, I’ve this week was a big step in the right direction. I’ve been struggling for a couple years now and my you know, usually when guys get older, they lose their speed and they’re putting I had statistically my best putting year of my career. My speed was extremely up. So, I’m excited about my future. I still have some hurdles to get over from a health standpoint, but I’m going to take it easy the rest of this fall, get healthy, and I look forward to even a bigger and better beer next year. What does it mean for you to be able to represent the university on the world stage at the RER Cup? Yeah, it’s everything, right? Right. I mean, everywhere I go around the world, it it doesn’t matter where I’ve played, I hear rock shock at least once. Um, in the States, I hear it a lot, but I’ve I’ve heard it in Australia. I’ve heard it in Japan, and everyone around me gives me a hard time. Like, all these people go to KU, and I’m like, I don’t know if they did or not, but they they know I’m associated with this university. So, it’s it’s awesome to hear Rock. I’m assuming I’ll still hear it next week even though we’re going to be team USA. Um, it’s it’s an honor to represent University of Kansas. I think when people think golf sometimes, they don’t necessarily think Kansas. Yeah. Uh but yet here you are. Um and hopefully I can be an example for the men and women that come behind me that coming here is just the start and it’s a step to be able to follow your dreams. I came here with big dreams and I’ve been able to accomplish a lot of those and I’m still dreaming and I’m still working. But um coming to Kansas is is the right step in the right direction. What’s it been like watching from afar or maybe up close in some cases the progress that these programs have made in recent years? It’s awesome. It really is. I mean when I when I came here I hid under a tree in the back of the range. you know, now we got buildings with heaters and music and all kinds of stuff going. It’s it’s awesome to see, but it’s awesome. I had a great opportunity here. It’s nice to be able to give back and hopefully provide a small part of what the opportunity of the kids that come through here as well. Um, just to give them a chance, like I said, to have the opportunity to follow their dreams. Um, that’s what it’s all about.
