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    Fred Couples has skin cancer lesions removed

    May 25, 2011
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    Fred Couples pulled out of the Senior PGA Championship on Monday with chronic back problems and skin cancer issues on both hands. Couples had 13 lesions removed in a routine visit to his doctor in New York and told Golf World he hasn't hit a shot in over a week.

    "I've got six on one hand and seven on the other," Couples said. "She [the doctor] said they were cancerous. It doesn't mean I'm going to die in three weeks, but I had to get them off now."

    He expects to play in two weeks at the Memorial, following a scheduled meeting with perspective members of his Presidents Cup team. Couples also blessed the move of long-time caddie Joe LaCava to the bag of Dustin Johnson. With his back and now his hand issues, Couples is not certain who will be his full-time caddie, with quotes around "full-time."

    That's one of the reasons why he encouraged LaCava to take the job with Johnson. "If I win four times on the Champions Tour, Joe would make more winning with Dustin just once," Couples said.

    -- Tim Rosaforte

    (Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images)