• PGA Tour

Holmes set for brain surgery

ESPN staff
August 23, 2011
JB Holmes will undergo brain surgery © Getty Images
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American golfer JB Holmes will skip the season-ending FedEx Cup playoffs in order to undergo surgery on his brain next month.

The 29-year-old, renowned as one of the biggest hitters on the PGA Tour, has struggled with symptoms similar to vertigo since the Players Championship in May.

Doctors have now diagnosed Chiari malformations, structural deformations on the brain that affect balance - not a life-threatening issue, but one that will require surgery to correct.

Holmes will have the procedure on September 1. While disappointed to miss the conclusion of the FedEx Cup - which offers a $10 million prize to the overall winner - Holmes believes his health has to come first.

"It's just such a relief to know that there's a name for what I've been going through these past few months and that I have a good chance of getting back to golf and to my regular life," Holmes said in a statement. "This is a relatively low-risk surgery and only takes about an hour and a half. Best of all, there's a very high success rate in fixing the condition.

"I was really looking forward to the playoffs this year and improving on my 31st-place finish from 2010. But with a three-month recovery before I can get back to form, we decided that the sooner I can get this procedure done, the better."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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