Holmes to have non-invasive brain surgery

• By Rex Hoggard
• Aug 22, 2011 10:04 AM ET

J.B. Holmes will have brain surgery early next week to help alleviate a condition called Chiari Malformation, his manager told GolfChannel.com on Monday.

According to Wasserman Media Group’s Terry Reilly, Holmes will have the “non-life threatening” procedure done at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore following weeks of tests and evaluations.

“They think it’s congenital and the procedure is very non-invasive,” Reilly said. “If everything goes according to schedule he could be hitting (golf) balls in a month.”

Reilly said the condition – which causes dizziness, numbness, vision problems, headaches and problems with balance and coordination – began on May 15 at The Players Championship. Since then the normally consistent Holmes hasn’t finished better than 47th (AT&T National), has missed two cuts and withdrew from the PGA Championship following an opening 80.

Holmes met with doctors at Johns Hopkins last Tuesday and will likely have surgery on Monday or Tuesday of next week. Late Monday, he withdrew from this week’s Barclays and will be out for the remainder of The Playoffs.