The pain is over for Jarrod Lyle. He passed quietly at his home in Australia Wednesday night with wife Briony and children Lusi (6) and Jemma (2) by his side.
“Lusi, Jemma and I are filled with grief and now must confront our lives without the greatest husband and father we could ever have wished for,” Briony said in the statement. “At the same time, we have been blessed and overwhelmed with the messages and actions of support from around the world and feel comforted that Jarrod was able to happily impact so many people throughout his life.”
Lyle finally lost his battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
He fought the disease for nearly 20 years, first diagnosed at age 17.
Countless rounds of chemotherapy and radiation took their toll.
Through it all, he made it to the PGA Tour. A shining, memorable moment came at 2011 in Phoenix at the Waste Management when he made a hole-in-one at the crazy par three 16th and pandemonium ensued.
He played three seasons on and off the PGA Tour. He left us to consider what he might have done had he not fought the constant battle with that dastardly form of cancer.
He was well-liked with a huge personality and the ever-present Aussie twang.
Those who knew him best called him a “larger than life” personality.
Tiger Woods remembered him after finishing round one at the PGA Championship:
“I played with him. Jarrod — he’s one of us. It’s tough. He was such a nice guy. It’s a tough time for all of us.”
A Go Fund Me account has been established to provide a good future for his young girls. Lyle was not one of the tour’s millionaires. Bryson DeChambeau directed $25,000 to the effort — the money given him for winning the long drive contest at the PGA, he directed it to that fund.
They’re looking to raise $200,000 and it has already passed $130,000. Bet is it will go way past the 200k mark.
Jarrod’s gone, but his smile stays behind along with the courage he showed for the fight he fought — nearly 20 years worth.
And that, my friends, is true courage.
