Lyle witnesses daughter's birth before beginning chemotherapy for leukemia

Jarrod Lyle, who will begin chemotherapy on Monday for a recurrence of leukemia, has a new baby daughter.

Lyle's manager Tony Bouffler said Sunday that Lusi Joy was born to Lyle's wife Briony on Saturday in Shepparton, Victoria, Lyle's hometown.

Bouffler said Lyle was "over the moon" and that the golfer "can't stop holding her."

Briony Lyle was induced so Lyle could be at the birth before beginning chemotherapy treatment at Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Lyle was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at age 17 and spent nine months in hospital. He not only recovered but went on to earn his PGA Tour card. He matched his best finish three weeks ago in Los Angeles, where he missed a playoff by two shots and tied for fifth.

Lyle had recently returned home to Australia to prepare for the birth of his first child when his recurrence was disagnosed.

Robert Allenby, who supports a cancer program that once had Lyle as a patient, said he received word Thursday morning that Lyle was going to start chemotherapy as soon as his wife gave birth.

Lyle thought the chemotherapy from his teen years would make him infertile, and was thrilled to learn his wife, Briony, was pregnant.

"He just got his whole life where he wants," said Allenby, who has been exchanging text messages with Lyle. "He's married, he has a new baby coming, he's playing great golf. And now this. It's the same cancer that's come back, the same leukemia."

Allenby saw him recently in south Florida.

"I said to him, `What's wrong with you? You don't look good,'" Allenby said. "He said he thought he was bitten last week in Mexico. His left arm was tight and sore in the vein, like he had a virus. I said, `You should go home and get checked out, especially coming from where you've been.' He was going to go home because his wife was due in two weeks. It's just terrible."

Allenby rarely goes on Twitter, but put out a tweet on Thursday to spread the word.

Allenby first met Lyle in the "Challenge a Cancer" network in Australia, when Lyle was 17 and had just been diagnosed. Lyle mentioned his affinity for golf -- he was about a 2 handicap at the time -- and recalled getting Allenby's autograph at Victoria Golf Club one year.

Lyle not only recovered, but seven years later he played in his first British Open, sharing a practice round at Royal Liverpool with Allenby. He first reached the PGA Tour in 2007, and made it back each of the last three years.

Allenby said he heard of Lyle's relapse through Dave Rogers, the CEO of the "Challenge" support network.

"We keep a close eye on Jarrod. He's kind of like our No. 1 with the success he's had to get where he is," Allenby said. "Now to go through it again, it's devastating."