To celebrate what would have been Jarrod Lyle’s 40^th birthday, Challenge and the PGA have asked Jarrod’s family, friends, colleagues, and the infinite people he influenced, to share their favourite stories of the affable Tour Professional.

I was fortunate enough to get to know Jarrod on a really personal level.

So much so that he called me ‘Uncle Mick’, or at least he did when he was being respectful!

I caddied for 15 years on the PGA TOUR and I was lucky enough to caddy for several great players, such as Greg Owen, Daniel Chopra and Will Wilcox.

Not one person ever said a bad word about Jarrod. He was liked and respected by everyone. 

I first met him as a fresh-faced kid in Thailand. I was caddying for Tripp Isenhour at the time, who was struggling on the Web.com Tour.

Tripp told Jarrod I was the man for him because Jarrod was already ready for the PGA TOUR. Little did I know the friendship that would follow.

We were firm friends right from the beginning, and became a really great team.

He gave me heaps of support off the course as well. There was a period of time when I didn’t have anywhere to live or base myself in the US and he let me rent a room at his house in Orlando.

We ended up spending a lot of time together and got to know each other really well.

On our weeks off we kicked the footy together, we went to the gym together (don’t laugh!), we got tattoos together (not matching), and we missed Australia together. We were just good mates.

He made sure I paid for everything as he had deep pockets and short arms!

We went to the range and practiced every day and then played a little four-hole course.

I lost every single time of course, which was a reflection of my golf skills but I also wanted to make sure he didn’t lose his confidence being beaten by a caddy!

He called me Uncle Mick most of the time, which changed to “The Fossil” when I started wearing glasses to read the yardage book.

Most of the time Jarrod talked about family, especially about Bri after they met.

I count myself one of the lucky ones to hear him speak so often about how much he loved her.

I know we both look like big, tough Aussie blokes, but we are both big soft marshmallows underneath it all.

I held him in my arms more than once when he cried about missing Bri, and again when he was filled with emotion to learn he was going to be a father.

He wasn’t just a friend, he was a mate, and we shared many a beer and many a laugh.

With Jarrod, what you saw was what you got. He was the most honest, genuine bloke you could meet.

I feel really lucky to have seen a side of Jarrod that not many people got to see, and I know for sure that his girls meant everything to him.  

My father told me that you will have many, many friends along the way but you will be able to count your mates on one hand.

Jarrod was on my one hand as one of the best mates. I miss him, and I always will. 

To find out more about Jarrod’s ongoing legacy as part of Challenge – supporting kids with cancer, head to challenge.org.au/jarrods-gift/

Mick was a professional caddy on the US Tour for 15 years and lived with Jarrod for a period of time.