John Daly, Joel Dahmen, and More: 5 Golfers Who Have Shown Remarkable Courage in Their Uphill Battle Against Cancer

Erik van Rooyen won the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship with a two-stroke victory over Matt Kuchar and Camilo Villegas. He was not anticipated to be in competition for the lead, but he beat the odds to clench the title. This was all possible because driving him towards his goal was an inspiration like no other!

Rooyen dedicated his win to his best friend, Jon Trasamar, who is battling cancer, and it was for him that the golf pro pushed himself harder and harder with every stroke. Rooyen even spoke emotionally about Jon in the interview that followed and emphasized the significance of playing for a greater cause.

The victor, however, isn’t the only one in the golf world who’s witnessed the treacherous disease. In fact, there are many pros themselves who’ve battled cancer and continue to do so, and the names include the likes of golf great John Daly and many more.

John Daly and four other golfers who have had a face-off with cancer

The disease of cancer is like a leech; it sticks to a person and sucks the life out of him. The impact of this disease is felt not just by the patient but also by his family and friends. There are PGA Tour golfers as well as other golfers who have firsthand experienced the disease of cancer.

In the year 2020, the colorful John Daly discovered that he had bladder cancer. Throughout the course of his treatment, he remained optimistic that he could beat the disease. In April 2021, his council was declared benign. Daly now continues to live his life to the fullest playing golf just the way he did before and inspiring others.

After giving out his best at the qualifying events and putting in the day and night of hard work, Joel Dahmen turned professional in 2010. However, the trials and tribulations of life were not over. A year later, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He managed to pull through and used his challenging time to come out stronger and better.

Charlie Rymer, a former PGA Tour pro turned broadcaster, faced a challenging journey with colon cancer. After the discovery of a polyp during a routine colonoscopy, he underwent surgery to remove a portion of his colon, only to learn he had stage 3 colon cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes. Rymer endured chemotherapy and its side effects, ultimately becoming cancer-free after four cycles of treatment.

Paul Azinger, in the middle of his good golf career, faced a formidable opponent, lymphoma cancer. This unexpected turn of events shook the golfing world. Despite the daunting diagnosis, Azinger’s unwavering Christian faith became his guiding light. His triumphant battle against cancer not only inspired many but also led to the release of his book, “Zinger: A Champion’s Story of Determination, Courage, and Charging Back,” co-authored with Ken Abraham. Azinger’s story exemplifies the power of faith in overcoming life’s toughest challenges.

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Jon Trasamar also happens to be a golfer who has played the sport at the college level at the University of Minnesota. In 2014, he and his teammates won the 2014 Big Ten Championship. But his life took a rough turn when he learned that he was grappling with melanoma. Erik van Rooyen confirmed that John has approximately 6 to 10 weeks left and will be flying out to meet his friend, probably for the last time soon.

These golfers live to inspire through their touch battles, and undoubtedly many, both in and out of the sport will draw inspiration from them!

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