Preview - PGA Championship 2006

Mayfair will play in the final major of the season barely a week after having surgery for testicular cancer, and he won't really care if he shoots 90.

"The happiest moment of today was waking up and knowing I was going to play golf," Mayfair, 40, said as he prepared for Thursday's first round at Medinah. "It's only been a month since my last PGA Tour event but a lot of things have happened in that month. Two weeks ago, if you had told me I was going to be here, I would not have believed it."

The rapid series of events began to unfold on July 30, when the five-time PGA Tour winner felt a "large lump" in his testicle region.

"It was like the size of two Titleist golf balls down there, and it just didn't feel right," Mayfair said. "I didn't sleep that night. It scared me a lot (but) I thought it could be a hernia, a cyst, a lot of different things."

Mayfair, who was in Michigan preparing for the Buick Open, arranged to see a radiologist the next day, and tests quickly confirmed his worst fears. Well, not quite his worst fears, because the growth had not spread. He flew home to Scottsdale, Arizona on Tuesday and two days later had surgery to remove his right testicle.

"It happened really, really fast," he said. "The biggest thing is we caught it early. I'm still sore and tired, but when you get a clean bill of health, it's a blessing. It's something that hit me on the side of the head, that's for sure."

Mayfair, who is separated from his wife, said he had received phone calls from "50 or 60" players, many of whom he will be competing against this week.

He has few expectations about his score, and played just nine holes Tuesday, not even hitting driver, on his doctor's advice.

"Everything looks great, trust me. Trying to get ready to play golf again is fun. If I get mad and swing a club or kick something, I'll get mad at myself because I should be thankful just for being here."

Phil Mickelson, a fellow Arizona State alum, said he was "ecstatic" at his friend's recovery.

"I'm amazed in modern medicine that he's able to play this week," said Mickelson, who was in the waiting room when Mayfair emerged from surgery. "We were supposed to play a practice round this morning and he just wanted to take a little bit more time sleeping in and resting up, and understandably so."

Mayfair's return to competition comes in the wake of the death Sunday from breast cancer of Darren Clarke's wife, Heather. Breast cancer is a disease all too close to Mayfair following the death of his close friend, LPGA player Heather Farr.

"Heather was like a sister to me and I miss her every day," Mayfair said. "I think about how much talent she had, not only on the golf course but off it. Everything happens for a reason, I guess, but I still can't believe she was taken away from us.

"Her sister, Missy, who I'm real good friends with, she was there when I had the surgery. Just having Missy by my side meant a lot to me."