Jarrod Lyle has been diagnosed with a recurrence of leukemia and will begin treatment next week.
Australian to start chemo after birth of first baby
Australian Jarrod Lyle, who has been plying his trade on the PGA Tour since 2007, has been diagnosed with a recurrence of leukemia and will begin treatment next week.
Lyle, now 30, first overcame acute myeloid leukemia as a 17-year-old, but will now have to undergo more chemotherapy after being given the shock news that it had returned - and this almost to the day when his pregnant wife Briony was due to give birth to their first child.
His local doctor diagnosed the cancer when Lyle paid him a visit to seek treatment for an infection caused by an insect bite in Mexico. Blood tests disclosed that his leukemia had returned.
It has now been decided that Briony Lyle will be induced at the weekend so that Lyle can be at the birth before he travels to Melbourne to start chemo on Monday morning.
Lyle's manager Tony Bouffler said Lyle was absolutely thrilled at the prospect of being a father because he had feared the chemotherapy he underwent as a teenager would make him infertile.
Resilient
"He's of good country stock and he's pretty resilient," said Bouffler.
"And he is really excited about the baby."
Robert Allenby, a close friend of Lyle's who broke the news of the diagnosis on Twitter, was shocked and described developments as "a complete tragedy".
"My heart goes out to my mate, great golfer Jarrod Lyle, new baby coming tomorro & big fight at cancer again!!" Allenby tweeted.
Lyle matched his best finish on the PGA Tour three weeks ago at Riviera in California where he missed the playoff by two shots and tied for fifth.
He made his debut on the PGA Tour in 2007 and has kept his card for the last three consecutive years.
