{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/680a0159fcccdba3a5365c3e/69c71f97f4bf09c59916ada2?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Gary Woodland's Emotional Comeback & The Augusta Bubble - March 28th, 2026","description":"<p>On March 28th, 2026, Gary Woodland surged to a four-shot lead at the Houston Open halfway point amidst an emotional return from brain surgery, while the Masters OWGR top-50 bubble delivered both triumphs and heartbreak.</p><p><br></p><h3>HOUSTON OPEN: WOODLAND'S RESURGENCE</h3><ul><li>Gary Woodland fired a 64-63 to take a four-shot lead at 13-under, marking an incredible halfway point at Memorial Park as he battles severe PTSD and anxiety following his brain surgery.</li><li>Woodland noted that opening up about his struggles on the Golf Channel took \"a thousand pounds off my back,\" while coach Randy Smith brushed off a rare bad swing as a \"mere oops.\"</li><li>He is proudly wearing custom \"courage\" Puma shoes designed by Sessi, a young brain tumor patient, and dialed in his game with new extra-stiff iron shafts and a Scotty Cameron putter.</li></ul><p><br></p><h3>THE MASTERS OWGR BUBBLE</h3><ul><li>The race to crack the OWGR top-50 for an Augusta invite heated up, highlighted by #52 Adam Scott shooting a 66 and #50 Samuel Stevens sitting safely at 8-under par.</li><li>Adam Scott surged up the leaderboard after noting his driving finally \"fell in the slot.\"</li><li>Heartbreak struck for #51 Pierceson Coody, who was forced to withdraw with a back injury, dashing his dreams of following his grandfather Charles Coody to the Masters.</li></ul><p><br></p><h3>THE CHASING PACK</h3><ul><li>A loaded leaderboard is chasing Woodland, featuring Nicolai Hojgaard’s career-low 62, defending champion Min Woo Lee at 9-under, and Michael Thorbjornsen utilizing a statistical \"bomb and gouge\" strategy.</li><li>Min Woo Lee predicts the \"thatchy and grainy\" grass will make chipping the ultimate deciding factor this weekend.</li><li>Jason Day reverted to first-generation zero-offset Avoda irons just to hit his signature fade.</li></ul><p><br></p><h3>Quick Hits</h3><p>Brooks Koepka ironically misses the cut (+4) on the course he helped design in 2019 • Yesterday's Cinderella story Paul Waring comes back to earth with a second-round 71 • Nicolai Hojgaard's Masters motivation fuels a career-low 62</p>","author_name":"Golf.ai"}