Former Kansas University golfer Gary Woodland, a rookie on the PGA Tour, has decided to end his season in order to have shoulder surgery, said Ross Randall, Woodland’s college coach.

“He’ll be out for about six months and won’t be able to go to Q school,” Randall said.

Woodland’s college coach said that his former player will apply for what amounts to a medical redshirt. By ending his season to have rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder, Woodland scratched from nine tournaments in which he had planned to play. Under the medical leave scenario, Woodland would be able to play in nine tournaments next season and if he can pad on enough to the $121,031 he earned as a rookie to finish in the top 125, he then could have tour status in 2010. If he falls short, he could have full Nationwide tour status for the rest of the season.

Woodland made eight cuts, including in the U.S. Open, in 18 tournaments.

“He was kind of dejected, but he told me about this a long time ago,” Randall said. “He said when he got hurt when he played basketball he just played through it. You can’t do that in golf. It’s too specialized a move.”

Woodland, 25, ranks third on the PGA tour with an average driving distance of 307.3 yards. His highest finish, tied for 28th, came in the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Cancun, Mexico.