Gary Woodland Leads Houston Open, Seeks First Win Since 2019 US Open

Woodland holds one-shot lead over Nicolai Højgaard heading into final round

Mar. 28, 2026 at 11:33pm

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Gary Woodland fired a 5-under 65 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead over Nicolai Højgaard (63) at the Houston Open. Woodland is seeking his first victory since the 2019 U.S. Open, having overcome brain surgery and post-traumatic stress disorder in recent years. Højgaard, a Ryder Cup player for Europe in 2023, is in pursuit of his first PGA Tour win. Defending champion Min Woo Lee and Michael Thorbjornsen are five shots back, with Thorbjornsen needing a strong finish to crack the top 50 in the world and earn a Masters invitation.

Why it matters

Woodland's comeback story has made him a popular figure in golf, and a win this week would be a significant milestone in his recovery. Meanwhile, a victory for the young Højgaard would be his first on the PGA Tour and continue the rise of European talent on the global stage.

The details

Woodland maintained his lead with a strong finish, adding birdies on the par-5 16th and reachable par-4 17th holes. Højgaard kept pace, making birdies on those same holes to stay within one shot. Woodland has credited a change in his iron shafts for helping regain control of his swing speed since returning from brain surgery. Thorbjornsen, currently No. 56 in the world, is looking to crack the top 50 and earn a spot in the Masters field.

  • Woodland held the 54-hole lead for the first time since winning the 2019 U.S. Open.
  • Højgaard made his Ryder Cup debut for Europe in 2023.

The players

Gary Woodland

An American professional golfer who won the 2019 U.S. Open. He has overcome brain surgery and post-traumatic stress disorder in recent years.

Nicolai Højgaard

A 25-year-old Danish professional golfer who made his Ryder Cup debut for Europe in 2023. He is seeking his first PGA Tour victory.

Min Woo Lee

The defending champion of the Houston Open.

Michael Thorbjornsen

An American professional golfer currently ranked No. 56 in the world, who is looking to crack the top 50 and earn a spot in the Masters field.

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What they’re saying

“I've just got to take a deep breath. I'll have a good night ahead of me tonight to recover and rest, and tomorrow just don't get ahead of yourself. I'm here, I put myself in this position for a reason, so take a deep breath and maintain what I'm doing.”

— Gary Woodland

“You know it's going to be a grind, you know it's going to come down to potentially the last few holes anyway. So you've just got to stay in the fight and play your best and do your best and then let's see where we end up.”

— Nicolai Højgaard

What’s next

Woodland will look to hold off Højgaard and the rest of the field on Sunday to claim his first PGA Tour victory since the 2019 U.S. Open. Thorbjornsen will be aiming for a top-8 finish to crack the top 50 in the world and earn a spot in the Masters.

The takeaway

Gary Woodland's inspiring comeback story has put him in position to win for the first time since his U.S. Open triumph, while the young Danish star Nicolai Højgaard seeks his first PGA Tour title. The final round at the Houston Open promises an exciting conclusion to this tournament.