His name may not be on the leaderboard but Jarrod Lyle is ecstatic with his first PGA performance since beating leukaemia for the second time.
The Victorian finished on par at the first round of the Frys.com Open on Friday (AEDT) after fighting his way back from a 2012 leukaemia diagnosis and subsequent tour withdrawal.
The 32-year-old had been expected to receive a sponsor's invite to the Frys.com Open in Napa, California this year but was controversially overlooked.
Rather than wait for the Shriners Hospitals for Children open, where he's assured a starting spot, Lyle flew to Napa, shot a six-under 66 in qualifying and then survived an eight-man playoff for four spots to get in.
After all that hard work and two years away from tour, the man known as "the fighter" is happy to be back.
"Even par. I'm very ecstatic with that and looking forward to building on it over the next three days," he told the Golf Channel after the round.
"I don't think there's anything that really needs any work at all (in his game)."
"Probably drove it in the rough a couple too many times and probably gave myself a ... no shot at different flags but ... the fairways are pretty narrow out here so it's easy to do that."
When forced to leave the tour in March 2012, Lyle had won $415,997, meaning he will have to earn $324,123 in 19 events to earn a full tour card once more.
But if his mind was on the money on Friday, he wasn't letting it show.
"It's nice just to see familiar faces again playing golf," he said.
"I've sort of got to remember that I'm here to play golf and not just catch up and have a chat."
Lyle's 2012 leukaemia diagnosis came as his wife was due to give birth to their daughter.
He no longer receives any treatment except for a penicillin tablet he takes once a day for the rest of his life.
He will return to Australia next week to receive a precautionary blood test.
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