Phil Mickelson stops golf as wife diagnosed with breast cancer

[Richard Pascoe]

Phil Mickelson's wife Amy has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The three-time major champion says he will suspend his PGA Tour schedule indefinitely.
Mickelson's management company says the 37-year-old Amy will begin treatment with major surgery some time in the next two weeks.
"After undergoing an extensive battery of tests Phil Mickelsons's wife, Amy, has been diagnosed with breast cancer," said a statement on the American world number three's website.
"More tests are scheduled but the treatment process is expected to begin with major surgery, possibly within the next two weeks.
"Mickelson has suspended his Tour schedule indefinitely. He was due to play the HP Byron Nelson Championship beginning tomorrow (Thursday) and defend his Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial title next week."
The Mickelsons were married in 1996 and have three daughters, Sophia, Amanda and Evan, all of who are under ten years old. Mickelson was to play the Byron Nelson Championship this week, and defend his title next week at Colonial, but he has always put family a long way ahead of golf.
In 1999 Mickelson was ready to walk off the golf course at the US Open the moment Amy went into labour with their first child. If Payne Stewart had missed the putt on the final green Mickelson would have missed the play-off because less than 24 hours later Amanda was born.
In 2003 Mickelson nearly lost both his wife and third child. Amy suffered a six inch tear in her artery and only the presence of a specialist, who happened to be two minutes from the hospital, saved both lives.
Phil's older sister Tina said: "Most people never deal with the possible loss of their wife and child in the same day. It haunts you. Months later, you can be sitting around the dinner table when it hits you that if things had been just a little different, you might be sitting there alone."
Now Mickelson must go through it all again. He is bound to receive strong support from the golf community. Darren Clarke lost wife Heather to breast cancer in 2006. As a mark of support the European Ryder Cup team wore pink blazers that year.

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/ustour/5357428/Phil-Mickelson-stops-...