You Couldn’t Make It Up !

TOMMY'S TAKE
Written By Kim Manunui

Last week, I wrote about resilience—about how the best in the world respond when the game punches them in the gut. Well, this week the golfing gods decided to turn it into a full-blown family affair… and a reminder that sometimes, sport writes stories you couldn’t script if you tried.

Because across two tours, on opposite sides of the world, we got something special: breakthrough, comeback… and a surname doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Fitzpatrick Fever

Let’s start on the DP World Tour, where Alex Fitzpatrick has done it—his maiden win, and not just any win.

Eight birdies in his final 13 holes to flip the script and storm to victory at the Indian Open —that’s announcing yourself.

And here’s where it gets even better. Seven days earlier, his brother Matt had taken care of business on the PGA Tour.

Back-to-back weeks. Two brothers. Two tours. Two trophies.You couldn’t make it up.

Could the Fitzpatrick parents be any prouder right now? One son lifting silverware in the States, the other following it up across the world a week later. Beyond the family narrative, this felt important. Alex has spent years being “Matt’s brother.” This week, he stepped out of that shadow - a possible future Ryder cup pairing ? Time will tell. 

Woodland’s Comeback

Over in Texas, the PGA Tour gave us something equally compelling—but for very different reasons.

Gary Woodland - one of the nicest men in the game didn’t just win the Houston Open… he dominated it. The former US Open champion finished five shots clear of the field. Controlled. Clinical.

And let’s be honest—this one hits differently.

This is a man whose battle hasn’t just been with the field—it’s been with his own health. Back in 2023, Woodland underwent brain surgery to remove a benign lesion that had been causing severe anxiety, fear, and panic attacks. We’re talking dizziness, nausea, and at its worst, a genuine fear of dying. That’s a long way from worrying about a six-footer on Sunday.

The surgery was successful, and he made his return to the PGA Tour in 2024. He’s since opened up about his ongoing fight with PTSD and severe anxiety, something he’s still managing today while trying to compete at the highest level.

And that’s what makes this win different.

Standing on that 18th green as the champion was about far more than the level of golf he had displayed - it was about everything it took to get back there. The rehab, the uncertainty, the mental battle that doesn’t just disappear because your swing feels 

Woodland sharing his story has done something bigger than golf—shining a light on mental health, on PTSD, and on the reality that even the strongest athletes are fighting battles we don’t always see.

Final Thoughts

‘Never give up’ and  always ‘Enjoy the walk’

Kim Manunui

Hi, I’m Kim and I work with a great team to help individuals, as well as small and not so small businesses get their message, product and services to the world using digital media and creating wonderful websites that don’t cost the earth.

I was born in Canada, and grew up around Vancouver and the mountains of British Columbia. My love of pristine environments led me to New Zealand and eventually to the mountains, lakes and rivers of the central North Island which is home. My family’s heritage is here, and it’s from here that Korio traverses the planet.

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The Art of the Bounce Back