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Amy Mickelson, Phil Mickelson's wife, will begin treatment for her breast cancer with major surgery soon.

Contractions began on Sunday, but she decided not to page him because he was so close to winning his first major. Mickelson lost by one stroke when Payne Stewart holed a 15-foot par putt on the final hole. Mickelson arrived home in time for the birth.

He nearly lost his wife during the delivery of their third child.

Sarah Strange, a breast cancer survivor and wife of former Ryder Cup captain Curtis Strange, said Amy Mickelson’s outgoing personality would play a big part in her recovery.

“She’s such an upbeat person, and I think she’ll approach this in the same way, moving forward with confidence,” Sarah Strange said. “I’m sure she’s getting the best treatment they can find. An upbeat attitude plays such a key role in this, her own and those around her. I’ll certainly be extending any experiences I’ve had, any questions she could ask me to keep upbeat.

“She was so supportive of me being a captain’s wife,” she said. “In return, she will feel that support from others.”

Nicklaus and his wife, Barbara, spent time with the Mickelsons during his four stints as captain of the Presidents Cup team.

“She was the wife I went to for advice,” Barbara Nicklaus said. “Amy is just one of those people who simply wants to help other people. Now we need to help her.”

How much golf Mickelson misses this summer is uncertain, but it comes at a time when Woods, his chief rival, returned from eight months away with knee surgery. They played together in the final round of the Masters and practically stole the show with an exciting charge up the leaderboard. Mickelson finished one shot ahead of Woods, but three shots out of the playoff won by Angel Cabrera.