A New Journey

James Henderson talks to two-time cancer survivor Jarrod Lyle, who made a tearful return to the professional golfing arena at November’s Australian Masters

Lyle’s overriding passion: living

After turning professional in 2004, Lyle earned his PGA Tour card, lost it and earned in again the space of three seasons; resilience is clearly his strong point.

"Not giving up is one of my biggest strengths," he says. "If I'd have given up in ‘99 I wouldn't be playing golf, in fact I probably wouldn't even be walking."

After being diagnosed aged 17 Lyle was confined to his bed for nine months, starting mortality square in the face, fighting a battle no teenager should face.

Clichéd it may be, Lyle maintains the minute you start to think negatively and get down because you're feeling sick is the moment when it has defeated you.

"You never want something like that to defeat you," insists Lyle, who breaks the conversation to put Lusi to bed. "You've got to fight as hard as you can and that is what helped me come out of the other side.

"The second time around I've had something to fight for and I desperately wanted to get well to watch my daughter get well.

"I fought my ass off to get better for Briony and Lusi."

While Lyle now lives off the mantra of looking ahead and not behind, when it comes to an official return to the tour, it’s a case of taking things day by day.

Receiving five "warm-up" event invitations to play anywhere in the world as part of his medical exception, the Australian Masters was Lyle’s first official tournament.

In truth, Lyle is well ahead of schedule, and because of this he has yet to be cleared to fly or travel, so logistically speaking he can't commit to other tournaments.

"I know I'm on one pill for the rest of my life but it's a huge improvement from when I was first in hospital, taking 14 pills at breakfast, 12 at lunch and a further 10 at dinner,” he says. “I’ve come along way in that respect."

"Getting cancer was and still is always in the back of my mind, it never leaves you.

"The reality is that it could happen a third time, so for me right now it's about being as healthy as I can be and enjoying my life."

Lyle is not a patient nor is he a statistic. He is a survivor, a husband and a father.

And such a buoyant character is not about to let the cancer which has plagued parts of his life ruin his overriding passion: living.

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Written by James Henderson

Photography by AFP

Click here to see the published article.

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