Former U.S. Open winner Gary Woodland recovering after brain surgery to remove lesion

Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland is recovering after undergoing surgery Monday to remove a lesion from his brain.

Woodland had the “majority of the tumor” removed from his brain, according to a statement posted to his social media account. He is now resting.

Woodland revealed last month that he had been diagnosed earlier this year with a lesion on his brain. He had been trying to treat the symptoms with medication, but doctors determined that surgery was the best path forward.

Lesions are spots on the brain that indicate injured or damaged tissue, and they can cause significant problems depending on where they are in the brain. For example, lesions on the frontal lobe can lead to learning issues, visual motor function, agitation, mood swings and more, while lesions on the parietal lobe could lead to numbness, the inability to write or do math, confusion of left and right and more, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

It’s unclear where Woodland’s lesion was located, what symptoms he was dealing with or how severe they were.

Woodland, 39, turned pro in 2007. He has won four times in his career on the PGA Tour, including at the 2019 U.S. Open. Woodland played in 24 events last season on Tour, including all four major championships. He finished T14 at the Masters in April and most recently played at the Wyndham Championship in August, though he failed to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs. He made 18 cuts in total last season and had six top-25 finishes.

It’s unclear how long Woodland will be sidelined while recovering from brain surgery or when he will return to golf.