He might not challenge the leaders on Sunday; he might not even make the halfway cut, but no one will mind because that's not the point of the exercise.

There won't be a dry eye in the gallery at the Talisker Australian Masters when Jarrod Lyle steps onto Royal Melbourne's 1st tee on Thursday for the first time in tournament mode since February 2012 after battling and beating a second bout of leukaemia. Lyle freely admits the tears will flow down his cheeks fastest of all in what is certain to be an emotional experience.

Yet the fact he is back playing is a sign of the progress he's made during what Lyle labels "20 of the hardest months I've ever had to go through". Acute myeloid leukaemia isn't an illness you want to suffer through once, let alone twice, and while Lyle's upbeat and jovial personality has always made him a fan favourite, his story turns him into an inspiration.

The now svelte 32-year-old looks and feels healthier as he contemplates an as yet unscheduled return to regular tournament play. He's enjoying balance in his life with wife Briony and 20-month-old daughter Lusi and insists he won't return to full-time play until he's absolutely certain he's physically and mentally ready, whether that's next year, the year after or later still.

Jarrod Lyle plays with daughter, Lusi, and wife Briony on the eve of his return to tournament golf at the Talisker Masters at Royal Melbourne. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

"I know I've got a long way to go to be at the level I was when I left, and it's going to take me a long time to get back to that. This week, for me, is a stepping stone towards figuring out when I'm ready," says Lyle, who adds he's not necessarily comfortable with being labelled a 'hero'. "This is a tournament where I can go home on Sunday afternoon and put everything into categories - this is seven out of ten, this is six out of ten, that's five out of ten - and just evaluate everything and figure out what I need to do in the next six months or whatever it's going to be to get my golf game back. It's nice to have the opportunity to come here and push myself and test myself against everybody else to see where everything's at."

Lyle with Leuk The Duck, which will feature on a range of Titleist caps being sold at the Masters. Proceeds from each cap sold will benefit the kids cancer charity, Challenge. PHOTO: BRENDAN JAMES

Lyle has history with tournament golf at Royal Melbourne. In 2005, he contended at the now-defunct Heineken Classic as a 23-year-old in what was his first big showing as a professional. Only an errant drive into ti-tree beside the 18th fairway that led to a bogey on the 72nd hole kept him out of the play-off won by Craig Parry over Nick O'Hern.

To prepare for this Masters, Lyle has been walking his 18-hole rounds for the past two months and playing against the members of his adopted home club, The Sands Torquay. He drives it shorter but straighter than when he was on Tour yet has adapted to the different strategy that combination presents.

"Hopefully my golf game's at a level where it can compete with the world's best players that are here."

After the highly popular 'green day' at last week's PGA at Royal Pines to acknowledge Adam Scott's Masters victory comes a completion of the nation's sporting colours as fans can deck themselves out in yellow Titleist caps this week in honour of Lyle. The caps, which are available for $30 at Royal Melbourne, represent and benefit Challenge, the foundation that supported Lyle and other cancer sufferers.