J.B. Holmes to have brain surgery

[truebluefan]

J.B. Holmes will have brain surgery next week to clear up a condition called Chiari malformation and will miss the next three months of competition.

Holmes' agent, Terry Reilly, told GolfChannel.com that the condition is "non-life threatening" and that the 29-year-old Kentucky native "could be hitting balls in a month."

"I know when people hear 'brain surgery' it conjures up all kinds images, but this a relatively low-risk surgery and only takes about an hour and a half," Holmes said Monday. "Best of all, there's a very high success rate in fixing the condition. 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."

Chiari malformations are structural defects in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance. When the indented bony space at the lower rear of the skull is smaller than normal, the cerebellum and brainstem can be pushed downward. The resulting pressure can cause a range of symptoms including dizziness, muscle weakness, numbness, vision problems, headache, and problems with balance and coordination.

Read more: http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/6885794/jb-holmes-brain-surgery-week