James diagnosed with cancer

Last year's Ryder Cup captain Mark James expects to start chemotherapy treatment soon following the discovery that he has lymphoma cancer.

The 46-year-old, who in July was forced to resign as a vice-captain for next September's match against the Americans following his controversial comments about Nick Faldo, has already pulled out of the next five European Tour events.

"I have been diagnosed with lymphoma and, pending further tests, expect to start chemotherapy soon," said James in a statement issued through the European Tour yesterday. "I would be grateful if the media would respect my privacy at this time."

James, chairman of the Tour's tournament committee and a member of its Board of Director, went for tests after experiencing stomach pains recently. He played in three tournaments last month, but missed the halfway cut in each of them.

The tour's executive director Ken Schofield said: "Mark James is an outstanding individual with tremendous resilience and we know that he will face whatever challenges might lie ahead with great courage and commitment. Our thoughts are with Mark and Jane (his wife) now and will continue to be every step of the way."

American Ryder Cup star Paul Azinger was also diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in 1993 just after winning his first Major title at the US PGA championship. In his case it was in his shoulder and after chemotherapy and radiation treatment he returned in time to defend the title the following August.

James was due to compete in the next week's Turespana Masters in Madrid, but has withdrawn from that and the following week's Italian Open in Sardinia. At 85th in the Order of Merit he had yet to qualify for next month's Volvo Masters and American Express world championship, both in Spain, but has also decided not to travel to the Johnnie Walker Classic in Bangkok on November 16th-19th.

James's resignation as a vice-captain to Sam Torrance followed his revelation in his book on last year's match that he threw a good luck message from Faldo into a rubbish bin in Boston last September.