A pall of gloom descended on the Golfing world as Australian Professional Golfer Jarrod Lyle, who was full of life, lost his cancer battle at the age of 36. Heartfelt condolences poured in from all corners including the Golfing world and the Twitterati.

With a contagious smile, a sense of humour and a deep determination to keep playing golf, Jarrod Lyle endeared himself to people around the world in a long struggle against cancer. The 36-year-old Australian golfer died Wednesday night at his home near Melbourne among family and close friends, the week after opting to forego further treatment and enter palliative care.

“It breaks my heart to tell everyone that Jarrod is no longer with us,” his wife, Briony Lyle, said in a statement released by Golf Australia on Thursday. “He asked that I provide a simple message: `Thanks for your support, it meant the world. My time was short, but if I’ve helped people think and act on behalf of those families who suffer through cancer, hopefully, it wasn’t wasted.”’

Lyle, who won twice on the Nationwide Tour in 2008, was first diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia as a teenager and suffered recurrences in 2012 and 2017. He was survived by Briony and two daughters. “Lusi, Jemma and I are filled with grief and now must confront our lives without the greatest husband and father we could ever have wished for,” Briony Lyle said.

“At the same time, we have been blessed and overwhelmed with the messages and actions of support from around the world and feel comforted that Jarrod was able to happily impact so many people.”