The Augusta National has always felt like a second home for Phil Mickelson. But in 2010, it earned a special place in his heart after he was overcome with emotion after winning the event. As he teed up at the 18th hole, the presence of his wife, Amy moved him to tears. Mickelson wasn’t sure Amy would make it to the course, having been left weak from the medication she had to undertake owing to her breast cancer diagnosis. The golfer shared a long embrace with his wife to celebrate the win, with tears rolling down his face.

Married in 1996, Mickelson and Amy have three children together. The couple has been going strong ever since but on May 20, 2009, they announced that Amy had been diagnosed with breast cancer and she would require major surgery in the coming weeks. What followed was an intense period of struggle and hardship and an outpouring of emotion that we witnessed at Augusta while Amy was on her road to recovery.

Following the announcement, Mickelson suspended his playing schedule indefinitely. However, after the doctors confirmed that the cancer had been caught early and would be treatable, he announced his return. Then during his pre-event conference at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, Mickelson revealed what he was going through. He said, “I’ve never felt this emotional. I’ve never been this emotional, where if I’m driving alone or what have you I’ll just start crying. It’s kind of a weird thing.”

The golfer added, “We’re fortunate we believe we caught it early enough to where we don’t have to rush into decisions and we can make some good long-term decisions, decisions that will hopefully prevent this from reoccurring, as well as decisions that will hopefully beat this quickly. We’re getting ready to get started.”

Amy, a former Phoenix Suns cheerleader had been a constant presence by her husband’s side during the tours and showed her support on the course as well. Having first met in 1992, she had no idea that her future husband was a pro golfer, but soon her association with Mickelson made her one of the popular Tour wives.

Thus after her breast cancer announcement, there was an outpouring of support for her and Mickelson. The then-PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said he was “deeply saddened” after hearing about the golfer’s wife’s condition, stating, “The thoughts and prayers of everyone connected with the PGA Tour are with the Mickelson family.” Many players and fans showed their support by sporting a pink ribbon to honor Amy.

Kristen Mattiace, the ex-wife of two-time PGA Tour winner Len Mattiace also commented, “Knowing Amy, she will then turn around and be one of the best spokespersons for fighting this disease that you could find.”Tiger Woods and his ex-wife also shared words of encouragement, and said, “Elin and I are deeply saddened to hear the news about Amy. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, Phil, the children, and the entire Mickelson family.”

John Daly wore bright pink trousers in support of Amy’s cancer battle. during the final round of the 2009 BMW PGA Championship. The following week, a ‘Pink Out’ event was held at Colonial, and all the PGA Tour players wore pink in support of the Mickelson family. The support from the golf community would have been welcomed by Mickelson but there was more somber news to come.

Less than two months after Amy’s diagnosis, Phil’s mother, Mary Mickelson, was also diagnosed with breast cancer. Both Amy and Mary underwent treatment at MD Anderson, the largest cancer center in the U.S. During these painful months, Mickelson won the Tour Championship in Atlanta and offered an update on their health.

“Although day-to-day is tough, and the meds are tough, and it’s not easy for them, we’re fortunate that our long-term outlook looks good. … To finish this year off with a win feels terrific,” he said.

For the next 11 months, Amy would battle against breast cancer, undergoing several courses of chemotherapy and medication. Usually seen by Mickelson’s side on the Tour, she would remain away and wouldn’t return until the Augusta National. When she made it to the course, it was a surreal moment as Mickelson himself wasn’t sure whether she was strong enough to be there.

But she was there, accompanied by her three children, Amanda, Sophia, and Evan. Phil’s Mary Mickelson was also seen standing behind them as they encouraged the golfer to make the final push. After winning his third Masters title, Mickelson couldn’t hide his emotions after hugging his wife.

Addressing his win and what it meant to him, he said, “I want to recognize my family. My wife has been through a lot this year, and it means so much to us to share some joy together.”

Praising his wife for her battle against cancer he added, “It has been an emotional year, and I’m very proud of my wife for the fight and struggle she has been through. This is terrific, it is one of the best things. We’ve been through a lot and to be on the other end, to feel the jubilation, is phenomenal.” The win was made sweeter by the fact that Amy was cancer-free 11 months after her diagnosis. Mickelson’s mother Mary, would also go on to recover.

After seeing two of his family members battle and survive breast cancer, Phil Mickelson was keen to offer counsel to LIV Golf’s Charl Schwartzel after his wife Rosalind was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in April. She is being treated at MD Anderson, the same oncology hospital that helped Mickelson’s wife and mother.

Mickelson said, “We’ve had a number of conversations because it’s a long process. You can’t rush it. You just have to go through it. There’s a couple of really critical decisions early on that everybody facing the challenge that they are facing has to make. Oftentimes, they’re the most critical decisions for long-term success. I was sharing with him some of those key things without trying to push.”

Having gone through the ordeal over a decade ago, Mickelson’s words of advice and information helped the Schwartzel family. “I don’t really know how to say it, but I can’t thank him enough. He’s been a tremendous help. He put us on the right path, introduced us to the right people and to an amazing team,” Schwartzel revealed.

Having been a family of five for so many years, Amy and her husband have had many more ups and downs. The one that Mickelson absolutely cannot forget came during the birth of his only son.

Amy Mickelson’s previous health complications

This isn’t the first time Amy’s life has been in danger. During the birth of their son (Evan) in 2003, the situation got out of hand, and the lives of the mother and the child were in danger. Amy had ruptured an artery, and baby Evan was not breathing for seven minutes after being born. He gave credit to the nurses who were present with the emergency equipment because any delay would have had severe consequences for the baby’s health. The mother-son duo thankfully pulled through and are now living healthily.

Her philanthropy and kindness have endeared her to the hearts of fans and pros alike. The Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation is involved in many noble causes and makes sizeable donations. They donated $100,000 to the victims of Hurricane Harvey, which devastated Houston. And with Amy Mickelson at the helm, the foundation will keep doing good work for many more years to come.

How important do you think a spouse is for a golfer’s game? Let us know in the comments!