Following a recent health scare, PGA Tour player Justin Thomas is urging people to get screened for skin cancer.
In an Instagram post, Thomas revealed that he'd recently had a small mole on his left leg removed. He said the mole was in the early stages of melanoma. The social media post included a photo of the incision and stitches in his left leg.
"Luckily, we found it at a time where there should be no problems going forward," Thomas wrote. "That being said, EVERYBODY GO GET CHECKED!! No harm can come from it and it's the best way to catch anything before it becomes a serious issue."
According to the Aim at Melanoma Foundation, melanoma accounts for about 1% of all skin cancer diagnoses but the vast majority of skin cancer deaths. Melanoma occurs most often on the skin, but it can also develop in the eye or lining of the nose, mouth or genitals.
The American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 96,000 new cases of melanoma in the U.S. and more than 7,000 deaths caused by the disease in 2019. It is the third-most common cancer among women ages 20-39 and the second-most common cancer in men ages 20-39, according to the American Cancer Society.
"Especially for all the junior golfers (and other athletes) spending so much time in the sun," Thomas wrote. "It is so important to make sure you're monitoring your body--no matter how old you are or how much sunscreen you use. It really got my attention, and hoping it does the same to y'all!"
Thomas, 26, a 10-time winner on the PGA Tour with more than $30 million in career earnings, struggled with a wrist injury for much of this past season. He rebounded to win the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club last month and finished third at the season-ending Tour Championship.
