Gary Woodland and his father, Dan Woodland, speak to the media ahead of the PNC Championship (Thursday, December 18, 2025) at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida — their first appearance at the event.
In this press conference, Gary opens up about perspective, family, and the last few years of his health journey, while Dan shares what it means to be inside the ropes with his son. They also revisit Pebble Beach 2019, discuss Tiger Woods turning 50, and Gary addresses talk around PGA TOUR schedule changes.
Topics include:
First-time PNC experience + full family week vibe
Dan’s game (and the funniest line of the presser 😄)
Gary’s reflections on perspective and recovery
Pebble Beach 2019 memories
Tiger Woods’ impact + the Genesis exemption and Presidents Cup call
PGA TOUR changes and what might look different in the future
If you enjoy golf press conferences, behind-the-scenes stories, and full interview coverage from big events, subscribe for more.
#PNCChampionship #GaryWoodland #Golf #PressConference #PGATour #TigerWoods
Alex. >> All right, we are now joined by Gary and Dan Woodland making your first appearance here at the PNC Championship. Just to start, how excited are you guys to be here? >> It’s awesome. Um, obviously one we’ve seen on TV for a long time and winning in 2019, that was one of the first things that came to mind. Um, is that we’d have an opportunity to play with this. Obviously, my my kids are young and it’s nice to after a couple years, we’ve both battled stuff. So, it’s nice to one be in a position where we could come out and play and my sister will be here catting for him. So, have he’ll have all the grandkids here and we’ll have a nice family week this week. So, pretty cool. >> Yeah. I can’t think of a better way to start the holidays. >> Yeah. >> You know, like you said, got the whole family here, the grandkids are here, my daughter’s here, my wife’s here. >> I’m excited. >> Wonderful. Yeah. Dan, tell us about your game, your handicap, how often you play, strengths. Well, unfortunately, I don’t play a whole lot. I Gary gave me a call about a month ago, month and a half ago, and I can tell you I’ve hit more golf balls in the last month and a half than I have the last 25 years. So, you know, so that kind of explains it all. Um, like I say, um, I spend a lot of time with my grandkids, but how could you turn this opportunity down? I mean, it was awesome. >> Absolutely. >> What was it, man? What was the first thing that came to mind when when Gary mentioned he needed a partner for this? You know, I was I was real excited. I I just jumped at it. Yeah, this is great. And then after a while, I started thinking, boy, I haven’t played that much here lately. You know, I got to start grinding. But, you know, he he helped me so much. He took so much pressure off. He just said, “Hey, hit a couple fairways, make a couple putts. We’ll have fun.” >> Have you ever played sports on uh network television before? >> I played baseball. Golly, let’s go back when I was like 12 years old. you know, we had a little baseball game like that, but um that’s the only time. That is the only time. >> What are you thinking, Gary? >> Yeah, it’s obviously I am where I am because he got me into into this. So now wanted to thank you this week, >> you know, to say thank you, but it’s also a little bit of a payback. Now he gets to see what I deal with every week and deal with all the stress and get inside the ropes. So, uh little should be fun. We’ll have a good time. One one quick one if you don’t mind, but when when you were playing baseball and basketball and golf and I and I think you must have had a sit down with your dad >> explaining that we’re going to have to go a certain direction here. How did that conversation go? >> It was tough for me because obviously growing up in Kansas, we had the season, so I I couldn’t play golf or baseball all year long, so I had to play basketball during the winter. Um it was I was 16 when we sat down and had the conversation. I needed to make a choice if it was going to be golf or baseball. We just probably played a hundred games that summer in baseball and I was tired and burned out and I decided that okay, I was done with that one and I’ll just stick with golf and basketball. I’m I’m very lucky and very thankful that I did because I wouldn’t be still playing at 41. I still wouldn’t be playing a sport. So, uh, fortunate if I I picked that decision at 16. >> How did that conversation go? Did you do most of the talking? Did you weigh in at all, Dan? >> You mostly listen. You know, that’s kind of it’s been his show. I kind of stayed back and you know helped let him make his own decisions and everything like that. But to me it was tough because I feel baseball was his best sport. Then we always say basketball is his love. >> Now we play golf. [laughter] >> Golf was just one that I was good at. >> Gary, everything you’ve been through the last few years, how much more does that make something like this special? >> 100%. My my whole life’s in perspective now. Um, I I I’ll be honest, I probably took it for granted being out here. This This was 17 my 17th year out here on tour. You just expect that to happen every year. And when I got found out that deal, what was that? May 24th, two and a almost two and a half, three years ago now. My life changed for sure. Um, and it’s it’s still been a journey, right? I’m still battling. I’m still grinding. But, you know, even for us, I mean, my first turn back from surgery was Sony, and I got a call the Saturday before from my mom that my dad got diagnosed with cancer. So, we’ve my poor mom’s been through it more than either one of us dealing with the both of us. But, he rang the bell almost a year ago now. Um, and I’ve I’ve gotten to a point where I’m still healing, but I’m getting better. So, this is uh this is a special week for both of us for perspective, for sure. >> You’ve had a full schedule the last two years. How does it what is the impact right now from that on your day-to-day life? >> This this this year was probably the hardest year I battled. Um I’m still healing, right? That at the end of the day, I still got a tumor in my head on my brain. Um it hasn’t grown in two years, so we’re good with that. But it’s in a part of the brain that causes me a lot of issues, and I’m still battling and grinding with it. I’m healing. I’m getting better. The surgeons and doctors are happy with where I’m at, but I have a long way to go. And it’s uh it’s a learning process every day. I’ve taken off the last couple months to focus more on my health to hopefully, you know, it’s it’s a long year and try to battle and get through it, but um it’s getting better. It’s just it’s still a long way from where we wanted to be. >> Dan, what’s your greatest memory about Pebble Beach 2019? >> Wow. I don’t know where to start there, man. I’ll tell you what, I think a lot of it was um I will say that you know his chip on 17 and I missed that. I was heading to 18. Somebody I don’t know somebody one of the news stands come and got me and took me up there. But to watch that last putt go in to watch that last putt go in just it sealed the deal. And hey, what an it was incredible. Gary, obviously there’s only a certain number of spots to get into this and a lot of competition for those spots. How long has this invitation kind of been in the works uh being that you’ve qualified in 19? >> Yeah, it we’ve we’ve talked about it for a while. Um it was it was nice to get the call. I wish JT was here because I was kind of grinding him and battling him, but um this is a special one. Like I said, I knew, you know, I know it’s a major champion deal and so I knew when I won in 19 that we’d have an opportunity. Um, from a health standpoint, this is the first year that we’ve really been able to do it. So, it was it was nice to be able to get that call and and be able to do it for sure. >> Was it something perhaps that was in the works before the health? >> Yeah, we’ve talked about it for a while. We’ve talked about it really since 19 obviously co happened the next year and then we battled stuff since, but uh this is definitely one we’ve looked forward to for sure. >> So, when the call finally came, what was kind of the reaction? >> I knew I was ready. I was just seeing if if he [laughter] was ready to do it. Um, so he he said he was and here we are. My question is uh for your dad um Mr. Dan Woodland and um your son has said how important it was when you were there on Father’s Day when he won the US Open. And I also read that you were by your son’s side during his recovery from brain surgery. And how important is this tournament which is all about a family um to you? you know, when we was first diagnosed with this and you know, alls we could do, you know, was stand by his side, support him, and um like I say, just pray for him. >> I like the hat, by the way. >> Yeah. Thank you so so much. [laughter] >> I just I just >> totally off this weekend, Gary. What comes to mind when you hear Tiger Woods is going to be 50 by the at the end of this year? >> I knew he was old. I didn’t realize he was that old. Um Tiger’s impact obviously in the game of golf is amazing. What he’s done off the course with his foundation. Um I wish he was here too. Um but hopefully he’s he’s healing to a point where he’s going to get back out because we all miss him. It’s all better when he’s out. But uh I can’t believe he’s I can’t believe he’s 50. I think it’s next week, isn’t it? I think um but uh [clears throat] I like I talk about the Chiefs. I gave him a hard time last week because the Raider Chiefs are out of the playoffs for the first time. I text him this must this what it’s like to be a Raiders fan. I didn’t know. Um you can understand how that came back at me pretty quick. >> [laughter] >> But Tiger’s impact is is we’re all here because of him and he’s pushed all of us to be better on the golf course and obviously what like I said what he’s done off the golf course makes us all want to have a bigger impact off the course as well. >> What did it mean to you when he gave you that exemption in Genesis? >> It’s I mean amazing. He’s he’s done it I’ve had two from him >> but you know the probably the biggest call I got was when he picked me for the President’s Cup in 2019. Um he’s he’s been amazing to me. He’s given me advice. He’s helped me. I’ve spent a day at his house practicing, just picking his brain. Um, he’s had a bigger impact me than I probably let off. And, uh, I’m I’m grateful to call him a friend. >> Dan, how many tournaments have have you been to? >> Wow. When Gary first started on tour, we were getting to probably 15. >> Wow. >> 15, which was a lot. But now, I mean, as we’ve aged a little bit and trying to get around logistic wise of the courses and everything and now we’re down to probably about eight about eight. We do the Florida swing, which is easy for us and everything, but about probably eight, six to eight. >> What was the first one? Do you remember? >> Sony. Sony. >> Yeah. >> 2009. >> Yeah. Bird’s first hole. We were so excited. Hey, man, this might be easy. >> It wasn’t. >> Almost drove the green on the first one. >> Daddy did. He did. >> Gary, I just want to ask what you think about all the chatter about the future of the PGA tour and the schedule and >> I don’t know if you talked with your peers about it or what happened. I’ve >> I’ve talked um I think we all know change needed. Change is tough. Um I we’ll see when it gets down what’s really going to happen. I I do believe we do needed to change. I think we’ve been stagnant for a long time, but it’s hard to go away from taking opportunities away. This tour has been based on opportunities for a long time, but I understand we’re star driven. Um, and it’s definitely been that way the last four or five years. It’ll uh it’ll be interesting. At the end of the day, you play well, it takes care of a lot of things. Um, and now I think you’re going to have to play really well to take care of a lot of things. So, my focus, I’m I’ve been part of it. I’ve had some conversations. Unfortunately, my focus has been on my health, so I haven’t put too much into it, but it’s going to be uh I’m assuming 27 is going to be a lot different. >> Following up a little bit on that, when you say it needed to change, something needed to change, what in your mind needed to change? >> I think it needed to we needed to find a place where we all play play more together. Um, and that’s tough too because the schedule, the one beauty about being out here is you get to pick your own schedule. Um, and that has probably dwindled the last two years with the signature events, the guys, it’s hard for guys to take off. Um, it’ll be nice. I think we’ve proven that when the all the guys get together, especially if we go to big golf courses, iconic golf courses, the ratings, everything get goes up and it’s a lot it’s a lot better. But trying to get guys together 20 times a year, if we can do it, is great. But we all just got to make sure we take care of the other guys as well. >> Yeah. Thanks. Thanks, guys. Thank you.
2 Comments
Gotta respect Gary so much
❤❤❤