Overview
- On Thursday Woodland shot a 6-under 64 at Bellerive, hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation and holing out a sand-wedge eagle at the par-4 11th.
- His score matched by Wyndham Clark, Rory McIlroy, J.J. Spaun and Chris Gotterup left Woodland in a five-way share of the first-round lead.
- Woodland began the week 31st in the FedExCup standings so his start gives him a chance to move inside the top 30 and qualify for next week’s Tour Championship at East Lake.
- The round continues a comeback that began after Woodland’s September 2023 brain surgery and his public disclosure of PTSD and followed his spring win at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, his first Tour victory since 2019.
- Woodland’s openness about mental health, his on-course coping habit of placing a hand on his heart, and his new role as a Presidents Cup vice captain have increased his influence off the course and could amplify the practical payoff of this week if it secures his place in the season finale and major exemptions next year.