HOUSTON — Gary Woodland needed to play laborious to remain within the lead on the Houston Open on Saturday, however he added two birdies late within the spherical for a 5-under 65, one shot forward of Nikolai Hujgaard, and on his strategy to his first win for the reason that 2019 U.S. Open.
Woodland and Huygaard, 63, had been excellent within the last hour at Memorial Park, creating some margin heading into Sunday, with no different gamers nearer than 5 strokes aside.
Woodland has develop into a preferred determine within the golf world for the way he has dealt with his restoration from mind surgical procedure in September 2023, and opened up about his battle with post-traumatic syndrome in an emotional interview at The Gamers Championship earlier this month.
His golf regarded as nice as ever, with full management of his swing and full use of his athleticism.
“I simply need to take a deep breath,” Woodland mentioned. “I’ll take it simple tonight, recuperate and relaxation. Do not get forward of myself tomorrow. I am right here and I’ve put myself on this place for a purpose, so take a deep breath and preserve doing what you are doing.”
Woodland completed at 18-under 192 and held a 54-hole lead for the primary time since his main title at Pebble Seaside in 2019. He was helped by altering the shafts of his irons and seen he was dropping a little bit of management as his velocity began to come back again.
He was particularly sturdy within the second half and needed to be with the hodgegoats chasing him. Woodland hit a 2-iron from Ikegami to the inexperienced on the par-5 sixteenth gap, and was one among solely 5 gamers to hit the inexperienced in 2 for a two-putt birdie.
His drive on the reachable par-4 seventeenth hit the bunker with such power that it popped into the collar, then pitched down one other 5 toes for an additional birdie.
Hodgegaard was proper there, hitting a pleasant chip for a birdie on the sixteenth, and one other birdie on the seventeenth with an up-and-down from the bunker. The Dane returned to type on Friday with a 62 and was equally efficient on Saturday with a 63. He has 15 birdies and one eagle over the past two rounds.
Defending champion Lee Min-woo (67) and Michael Thorbjornsen (66) had been 5 strokes aside. Sunday is a giant day for Thor Bjornsen, ranked 56th on the earth. The highest 50 finishers on the finish of this week will earn invites to the Masters, however the Massachusetts native will not want to complete increased than eighth.
Heigaard hasn’t performed within the Masters but, however at No. 47 he is just about assured to stay within the high 50, barring an odd flip of occasions at Memorial Park.
Woodland wants nothing greater than a win to return to the Masters, however even these perks are secondary given what he is been by.
The surgical procedure eliminated many of the lesions that had induced unfounded fears of demise. He returned to the PGA Tour in early 2024, however solely lately spoke out about his struggles with PTSD, together with beginning to cry mid-round and generally hiding within the toilet.
Sharing it publicly was an enormous aid for Woodland, who mentioned earlier this week that he felt “1,000 kilos lighter.”
The main focus now could be on successful in Houston, the place they had been an in depth runner-up final yr. Woodland led the sector in approaches to the inexperienced and was second in placing. A barely new putter helps with the adjustment.
He’ll face Hodgegaard, who made his Ryder Cup debut for Europe in 2023. His an identical twin, Rasmus, has already certified for the Masters.
The 25-year-old Dane has three wins on the European Tour, together with the DP World Tour Championship on the finish of 2023, however is but to win on the PGA Tour.
” it may be a troublesome match and you already know it might come all the way down to the previous few holes anyway,” he mentioned. “So that you simply keep within the combat, give it your all, do your greatest, and see the place we end.”
