Stewart Cink takes leave from PGA Tour after wife's cancer diagnosis

 

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Veteran PGA Tour player and 2009 Open Champion Stewart Cink is taking an indefinite leave of absence after his wife Lisa was diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

Cink, a six-time PGA Tour winner, was in the field for this week's Wells Fargo Championship and next week's Players Championship. He had competed in The Players for the last 18 years in a row.

 

He and his wife have two children.

 

"Last week my wife, Lisa, and I received some unfortunate news ... Lisa has been diagnosed with breast cancer – a startling and unexpected revelation for everyone in our family," Cink said in a statement. "We are still in the process of figuring out exactly what she is fighting, and the uncertainty continues to be very difficult. However, we serve a great God, and our friends and family have been and will be by her side every step of the way.

 

"In order to assist Lisa in meeting this challenge, I will be stepping away from competitive golf until circumstances improve for her. Hopefully that day will come quickly. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we move forward."

 

Cink, 42, has played on five Ryder Cup teams and four Presidents Cup teams, in addition to his 12 worldwide titles. He played golf at Georgia Tech and has remained a resident of the Atlanta area since his 1995 graduation.

 

He won the Open Championship at Turnberry by beating Tom Watson in an aggregate playoff.

 

This article was written by Garry Smits from The Florida Times-Union and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.