Multiple-time Tour winner reveals he has Parkinson’s, says he will keep playing

John Senden, a two-time PGA Tour winner who performed this 12 months on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, says he has Parkinson’s illness. 

The 52-year-old from Australia revealed the prognosis throughout this week’s Australian PGA Championship, the place he shot rounds of two-over 73 and 71 earlier than lacking the minimize by a stroke. Senden told ABC Sport that he has battled Parkinson’s signs for 18 months and that he plans to proceed playing. 

“I’ve got to stay in the gym, stay fit and stay open, because Parkinson’s wants to close you down, wants to make you feel a bit more depressed,” Senden instructed ABC Sport.

“I’ve got to stay playing, stay light-hearted about everything. It doesn’t actually undermine my strength; it just sort of makes me feel a bit weird sometimes.”

Parkinson’s illness, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a dysfunction that impacts the nervous system and the elements of the physique managed by the nerves. Tremors are widespread, and the illness might also trigger stiffness and slowness of motion. There isn’t any identified remedy. 

This 12 months, Senden performed 19 occasions on the Champions tour, with one high 25, in early October on the Furyk and Friends match. He completed No. 83 on the circuit’s season-long standings.

Senden instructed ABC Sport that he’s managing his tremors. 

“I can be on the range warming up and feeling really good,” he instructed ABC Sport, “however as quickly because the anticipation of hitting the primary shot or a troublesome shot and even the title referred to as on the primary tee, unexpectedly my proper arm begins shaking and I can’t management that generally. I type of stretch it or set off it or get some larger actions to get by way of this. 

“It’s not going to go away, but I’m still able to play and still enjoying golf.”

Senden began PGA Tour play in 2002. He received twice — on the 2006 John Deere Classic and on the 2014 Valspar Championship — made 320 cuts in 481 begins and earned over $21 million in prize cash. He’s additionally received 4 occasions internationally, together with on the 2006 Australian Open. 

In the ABC Sport story, Senden stated he was being impressed by his son, Jacob, who was recognized with mind most cancers in April 2017, at age 13. This week, the youthful Senden caddied for his dad on the Australian PGA. 

“There was some time back then when we didn’t know whether he was going to make it,” Senden told the Australia PGA’s website on Wednesday.

“Being collectively this week has undoubtedly been an inspiration for me particularly, and for different youngsters on the market watching him develop during the last six years. He’s acquired stronger and stronger yearly with nice medical doctors and nice medical within the U.S. and in addition one other couple of medical doctors out right here in Australia.

“He’s been looking good and feeling like he needs to take it by the horns now and go and live his life.”

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Nick Piastowski

Golf.com Editor

Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his function, he is liable for modifying, writing and growing tales throughout the golf area. And when he’s not writing about methods to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native might be playing the sport, hitting the ball left, proper and brief, and consuming a chilly beer to clean away his rating. You can attain out to him about any of those matters — his tales, his sport or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.