Jarrod Lyle Still Has His Sense of Humor

I'm sure most of you heard that Jarrod Lyle Monday-qualified for a spot at the Frys.com Open this week. I believe Jarrod has 20 events to make up $324,123, which would equal the 125 spot on the 2012 money list. (It's the 2012 money list because he was qualified for the 2012 season but had to leave in March that year for his second battle with leukemia.) It's a nice story, right?

But here's something you may not have heard, relayed by Marika Washchyshyn at golf.com.



Apparently Jarrod had applied for an exemption -- something most of us would expect to be a no-brainer, right? As T.J. Auclair at pga.com put it, "Many figured Lyle and his story would be enough to garner a sponsor's exemption." And given how well he played at the Web.com Tour's Midwest Classic just a few weeks ago (he finished T11), as well as how popular Jarrod is among fans and players, you would have thought it was a done deal.

As it turned out, it wasn't. But Jarrod told the Australian Associated Press (and Marika quoted):

“I was disappointed not to get an invite, mostly because they didn’t even let me know,” Lyle said. “My wife Briony was pretty devastated but I told her I had a chance to qualify and what a better way to stick it to them.”

"They didn't even let me know... what a better way to stick it to them." I think that attitude pretty much explains how Jarrod Lyle managed to beat cancer twice. It looks to me like the Frys.com folks have ended up with a little egg on their faces -- but if Jarrod plays really well, it could turn into an entire omelet!

For the record, Jarrod has already been granted a sponsor's exemption into the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open next week. Wouldn't it be cool if he played so well this week that he didn't even need it to get his card back?

This story will certainly bear watching. GC will be carrying it, of course -- the pro-am airs tonight for an hour at 9pm ET, then on Thursday it re-airs at 3pm, the Pre-Game Show is at 4pm, and the tournament proper starts at 5pm ET. You can be sure that Jarrod will get some TV time, one way or another.

And Jarrod, we all wish you a lot of luck this week. Keep laughing, buddy!