Robert Allenby has written an emotional tribute to "hero" Jarrod Lyle after the PGA Tour golfer decided to begin end-of-life care.
The Australian, 36, is suffering from acute myeloid leukaemia for a third time, having beaten the disease twice before in 1999 and 2012, and has now stopped active treatment to start palliative care.
Allenby has been friends with Lyle for 20 years and, in a Players Voice piece, provided a touching recount of a relationship that began when he visited the future star as a teenager, then battling cancer for the first time.
"We met because I was his hero," wrote the 47-year-old. "He has been mine ever since."
Touching on Lyle's career as a professional, Allenby said: "Jarrod made it clear from the start that his ambition was to be a professional golfer.
"But, if I'm being honest, I couldn't see how in the beginning. I mean, there aren't many 17-year-olds who have suffered acute myeloid leukaemia, survived it, then gone out and turned pro.
"What I would come to realise over time is that Jarrod possesses a determination, grit and inner strength unlike anybody I've met in my life.
"His will to survive and smash the odds is incredible. I draw strength just from being around him.
"The problem, in the end, has been the amount of medication put through his system to fight off the cancer. It's taken a massive toll and reached a point where his body can't take any more.
"His mind is great, but his body has been deteriorating for a few months now. There have been infections and, over the past month, a loss of eyesight.
"I can't explain in words just how hard he has fought this thing. He beat it twice. And the third time hasn't got him yet."
The piece concluded: "I love him like a brother and count myself fortunate that I have had him in my life for this long.
"He's a top bloke and an inspiration to millions. He is loved and admired all around the world. I hope he is pain-free and at peace. He is, and will always be, my hero. F*** CANCER."
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