The University of Kansas has made a special dedication to honor their alumnus and US Open winner, Gary Woodland. The university’s complex of golf practice facilities in west Lawrence will now be named the Gary Woodland Golf Complex.
The Kansas Board of Regents approved the decision to name the conglomeration of practice holes, driving range, and putting facilities after Woodland. These state-of-the-art facilities are located at The Jayhawk Club, a privately owned country club in west Lawrence.
Gary Woodland graduated from the University of Kansas in 2007 and has since found success as a professional golfer. He has won four times on the PGA Tour, with his most significant victory being the U.S. Open in 2019 at Pebble Beach. Woodland’s success and dedication to the sport have made him a major symbol of KU golf on the professional circuit.
Chancellor Douglas Girod expressed his gratitude to Woodland, stating, “He has been incredibly supportive of the golf program.” The decision to name the complex after Woodland highlights his contributions and commitment to KU.
Woodland, a Topeka native, also has a residence in Lawrence while continuing to compete on the PGA Tour. Recently, he announced that doctors had discovered a brain lesion several months ago, leading him to undergo brain surgery after other treatment methods had proven ineffective. On Monday, Woodland underwent surgery, and according to his social media accounts and media reports, the majority of the tumor has been removed, and he is now in the recovery phase.
In addition to the dedication to Gary Woodland, the University of Kansas also received approval from the Regents to name the primary practice building at the golf complex after Tom and Kathy Wiggans. Tom Wiggans is a 1975 graduate of KU’s pharmacy school and has been a leader in the pharmaceutical industry in Silicon Valley. Kathy Wiggans serves as the board chair of the nonprofit Youth On Course organization, which helps youth play rounds of golf and receive off-course mentoring. The Wiggans couple, residing in Pebble Beach, California, recently made a generous donation that paid off the university’s debt related to the golf practice facility.
The University of Kansas is proud to honor two influential figures in the golf community with the naming of its golf complex and practice building. These dedications recognize the achievements, support, and impact that Gary Woodland and the Wiggans couple have had on KU golf.