Positive momentum built for Jarrod Lyle in a successful return to US PGA Tour action after a 32-month hiatus to battle – and beat – a second bout of leukaemia.

Lyle shot four steady rounds at the season-opening Frys.com Open in northern California to share 31st place at five-under-par. Sporting the familiar yellow hat to acknowledge Challenge, the children’s cancer charity so closely attached to Lyle, he carded four scores between 70 and 72 at Silverado Country Club but gained immense gallery encouragement and confidence that can’t be measured on a leaderboard.

Lyle in action on his return to the big show. PHOTO: Getty Images Lyle in action on his return to the big show. PHOTO: Getty Images

Incredibly, Lyle was refused a sponsors invitation into the Frys.com Open but was one of four players to make the field via the cut-throat Monday qualifier. He justified his inclusion by making the cut and rounding off a respectable week with three birdies in his last four holes.

“To come here without a tournament to play and then get through on the Monday (qualifier) and make the cut and play reasonable golf for four days, I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Lyle said. “It’s something to build on for the rest of the year.”

After making the cut on Friday, Lyle took to Twitter and shared a picture of himself savouring a beer with the comment: “Just sitting back enjoying a cold one after making the cut. Tastes good!! Thanks everybody for your support.”

His weekend play remained steady if unspectacular. Overall, Lyle was miserly with bogeys, making only five all week as one of the best in the field for bogey-avoidance, but a pair of double-bogeys prevented him from climbing higher up the leaderboard. All in all, it was a highly satisfying return to the main circuit.

The 33-year-old from Shepparton has 20 tournaments to earn US$283,825 in order to keep full playing status on the PGA Tour. This week’s cheque for US$33,300 will help before his comeback continues at next week’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.