Aussie golfer Lyle battling cancer

Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle has been diagnosed with a recurrence of leukaemia and will begin treatment next week, just days after the induced birth of his first child. Lyle, 30, a member of the USPGA Tour, was revealed by fellow professional and countryman Robert Allenby on Friday to be preparing for a second fight against cancer after overcoming acute myeloid leukemia as a 17-year-old. The shock diagnosis was delivered when Lyle sought treatment from his local doctor for an infection from an insect bite he sustained in Mexico. Blood tests revealed leukaemia had returned. His wife Briony was expected to be induced on Friday night or early Saturday so Lyle could be at the birth before travelling to Melbourne to start chemotherapy on Monday morning. Lyle's manager Tony Bouffler said the player was thrilled at the prospect of being a father because he had feared chemotherapy as a teenager would make him infertile. "He's of good country stock and he's pretty resilient," said Bouffler. "He's really excited about the baby." Bouffler described another round of chemotherapy as "overwhelming". Allenby, a close friend of Lyle's who revealed the diagnosis on Twitter, was shocked and described developments as "a complete tragedy". Allenby said he told Lyle that because he had beaten cancer before, he could do it again. "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 US PGA Tour three weeks ago at Riviera in California where he missed a playoff by two shots and tied for fifth. He went to Mexico and tied for 37th. Perhaps his greatest fame in America came last year at the Phoenix Open, when he made an ace on the infamous par-three 16th hole at the TPC Scottsdale. His debut year on the USPGA Tour was 2007 and he has kept his card for the last three consecutive years.