Former Auburn star Brendan Valdes has cancer and halts first season on Korn Ferry Tour

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Former Auburn star Brendan Valdes said Wednesday he has been diagnosed with cancer and will step away from his first full season on the Korn Ferry Tour for treatment.

Valdes, No. 2 in the PGA Tour University ranking last summer to earn a full exemption on the Korn Ferry Tour, posted on social media that he was diagnosed with primary mediastinal lymphoma.

The 22-year-old said he already has completed his first round of chemotherapy. While it is an aggressive form of lymphoma, the recovery rate is high with proper treatment and Valdes was hopeful of returning to golf this year.

“Life, like golf, is often unpredictable,” Valdes wrote. “A month ago, I was preparing for the start of my first full season on the Korn Ferry Tour when, during a medical exam, a mass was discovered in my chest. ... While a long journey lies ahead, my treatments should have me back on the golf course and completely healthy this year.”

From Orlando, Florida, Valdes was an All-American at Auburn and played a key role when the Tigers won the NCAA title in 2024. He tied for third in the Price Cutter Charity Championship during his partial year on the Korn Ferry Tour last year after he finished school. He also made the cut in all three PGA Tour events he played, the best a tie for 20th in the 3M Open in Minnesota.

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