MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) On the practice putting green at Royal Melbourne preparing for his fourth round at the Australian Masters, Jarrod Lyle was where he thought he'd never be Sunday.
Making his first tournament appearance since being struck down by leukemia for the second time, the 32-year-old Lyle admitted before Thursday's first round that he didn't plan to be playing on the weekend. After making the cut Friday, he said he would crawl the final few weekend holes if he had to.
Against all odds, he's improved his score each day, from an opening round 1-over 72 to Saturday's 1-under 70 that left him at even-par for the tournament, 14 strokes behind tournament leader Adam Scott.
As Lyle took his final few putting strokes on the practice green, he joked with his manager, Tony Bouffler, that he was dressed in his "Gary Player black and I hope I play like him today."
As he walked to the first tee, his wife, Briony, handed their 20-month-old daughter, Lusi to him. Lusi, wearing a yellow shirt with "Go Daddy" on the back, hitched a ride with her dad to nearly the first tee, spectators encouraging him all the way.