PROFESSIONAL golfers on Europe's Seniors Tour and the Challenge Tour will enjoy the benefits of the same skin cancer screening programme already available to players on the main circuit, the European Tour announced yesterday.
It's estimated that 250,000 golfers worldwide suffer from skin cancer each year. Sandy Lyle, for example, had an abscess removed from his left arm three years ago at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, after an oncologist sent him to the hos
pital.
The former Open and Masters champion was one of the lucky ones; the abscess wasn't cancerous. But if he hadn't done something about it, the problem could have been more serious.
Working with Screen4Life, the Tour plan to screen players, staff and sponsors at seven events on their three tours this season. It follows the launch of a cancer screening programme for golfers at the K Club in Ireland during the European Open last July.
By utilising the latest imaging technology and providing awareness and education on preventative measures, the risks associated with prolonged exposure to the sun's effects can be significantly reduced.
Sweden's Peter Hedblom said: "As a player you always want to go on the course knowing that everything is all right so you can concentrate on your golf and it's always best to be safe. This is a great initiative by Screen4Life which I'm sure everyone will take advantage of."
Meanwhile, England's Nick Dougherty has a special reason for trying to claim this week's Italian Open title following the death of his 61-year-old mother Ennis.
He is determined to fulfil her wish of making this year's Ryder Cup team, and a win at Tolcinasco would enhance his ninth place on the European Ryder Cup combined table.
Last year Dougherty had the Italian tournament in his grasp when he was three shots clear with nine holes to play but his mistakes and a surge through the field by eventual winner Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano cost him victory.
The Spaniard clinched the title against Austrian Markus Brier in a play-off leaving Dougherty disappointed.
"My mum thought I was going to win in Italy and I really should have won it last year for her," said Dougherty, who attended his mother's funeral on Tuesday after she died in Florida several days ago following a heart attack.
"I'd love to be able to just grab it for me and my dad and my family but it isn't going to work like that. I don't know how I'm going to react. It could be (a round of] 67 or 87 tomorrow," Dougherty said yesterday.
The full article contains 438 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
