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Gary Woodland: American Professional Golfer and 2019 U.S. Open Champion

Gary Woodland (born May 21, 1984, in Topeka, Kansas) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and one of the sport's most compelling comeback stories. A natural athlete, Woodland initially attended Washburn University on a basketball scholarship before transferring to the University of Kansas on a golf scholarship, where he won four amateur tournaments. He turned professional in 2007.

Woodland's crowning achievement came on June 16, 2019, when he won the 119th U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links, holding off back-to-back defending champion Brooks Koepka to claim his first major title and a $2.25 million winner's cheque. Known for his prodigious length off the tee, Woodland is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and athletic players on Tour.

In 2023, Woodland underwent brain surgery to remove a lesion and has been open about the resulting mental health challenges, including PTSD. His return to competitive golf — capped by a 2026 Houston Open victory — stands as one of the most inspiring comebacks in recent PGA Tour history. Over his career, Woodland has accumulated over $36 million in Tour prize money and endorsement partnerships with Breitling, Cobra Golf, Puma, and NetJets.

The Watch: Breitling Chronomat

As an official Breitling "Friend of the Brand" since 2019, Gary Woodland has been a proud ambassador of Swiss watchmaker Breitling — a relationship that began in the aftermath of his U.S. Open triumph at Pebble Beach. To mark the occasion, Breitling USA President Thierry Prissert personally presented Woodland with a Breitling Superocean Heritage II Chronograph 46 USA Limited Edition — number #119 of only 200 made, a nod to the 119th U.S. Open. Woodland has since been regularly spotted wearing models from the Chronomat collection.

The Breitling Chronomat has its roots in the early 1980s, when Breitling was commissioned by Italy's elite Frecce Tricolori aerobatic jet team to design a rugged mechanical chronograph tough enough for the cockpit yet refined enough for everyday wear. The result — launched publicly in 1984 — became one of Breitling's most iconic and enduring collections, instantly recognisable by its four raised "rider tabs" on the bezel, designed to protect the crystal from damage in the cockpit. It remains one of Breitling's best-selling lines to this day.

Key Specifications

For a power golfer like Woodland — who travels the globe competing on the world's biggest stages — the Chronomat is a natural fit. Bold, built to withstand anything, COSC-certified for precision, and versatile enough to wear on and off the course, it mirrors Woodland's own reputation: rugged, reliable, and impossible to overlook.