As a 12-year-old, Brendan Valdes witnessed his sister, Bailey, and his friend, Supra, battle esophageal cancer before both tragically passed away in 2015. Now, Valdes is giving back through a charity golf tournament at his childhood club, Orange Tree Country Club in Orlando, Florida. The event raises funds for the Ian Supra Memorial Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting the fight against pediatric cancer. 

“Everything we try to do with the foundation is to help kids,” Valdes told the Golf Channel. “And, of course, I always had a big heart for it, but I never truly understood how it actually felt to go through what these kids and their families are dealing with.”

However, that changed when Brendan Valdes was diagnosed with primary mediastinal lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. At the time, the 23-year-old was set to begin his third season on the Korn Ferry Tour, was just engaged to girlfriend Rachel Gourley, and came back from a holiday trip to meet his fiancée’s family in England. 

After what initially felt like a minor cold worsened, Valdes began coughing up small amounts of blood and visited an Orlando emergency room on New Year’s Day. Doctors initially suspected bronchitis. But scans revealed a roughly 9-centimeter mass pressing against his heart and lung. Further testing confirmed the lymphoma diagnosis, and Valdes publicly announced it in January.

He later worked with MD Anderson in Houston and underwent chemotherapy in Auburn, Alabama. After completing his final chemotherapy dose in May, Valdes was declared cancer-free in early June and has since returned to competitive golf after nine months.

“It’s been a process, but there have been a lot of people in my corner helping me through it,” said Valdes. 

With his cancer in the rearview mirror and having spent nine months in recovery, the 23-year-old has received a big break. He is now set to play in this week’s Biltmore Championship, which is set to be the PGA Tour’s inaugural event in Asheville, North Carolina. He found his way into the tournament through a sponsor’s exemption.

This marks his first Tour-sanctioned event since he participated in PGA Tour Q-School in mid-December. So, the Orlando, Florida native made an honest confession. 

“I’m just super pumped to be back competing,” he said. 

But as Valdes prepares for his return, one man has surprisingly decided to sit out the event entirely. 

Justin Thomas withdraws from Biltmore Championship

Two-time major champion Justin Thomas will no longer tee it up at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove this week after withdrawing from the Biltmore Championship in Asheville late Sunday evening. The 16-time PGA Tour winner was originally expected to headline the 132-player field as its highest-ranked competitor, but Cameron Champ will now take his place in the FedExCup Fall’s opening event. 

No official reason has been provided for the 33-year-old’s withdrawal. However, Thomas remains confirmed for next week’s Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club, where he will represent the U.S. after being selected as one of captain Brandt Snedeker’s picks in early September. Thomas has played in three previous editions of the biennial event, compiling a 10-3-2 record.

The tournament was initially expected to serve as a tune-up for Thomas, Jacob Bridgeman, and Jackson Koivun before the Presidents Cup. That being said, it appears that as Brendan Valdes arrived, Justin Thomas left.