Almost two years after being diagnosed with Leukaemia for a second time, the US PGA player was at the Albury golf course yesterday, wearing his now trademark yellow hat as ambassador for Challenge: Supporting Kids with Cancer charity and surveying the layout ahead of today’s pro-am.

It’s not just his first time at the Commercial Golf Resort course but the first visit to the Border.

But what he lacks in local knowledge might be offset by his caddy, rising Australian junior and Albury pennant player Zach Murray, when he tees off about lunchtime.

Lyle said making the trip to Albury was an obvious move.

“I love coming to courses like this and helping the pro-ams when I can and I’m enjoying my golf at the moment,” he said.

“We came up to Shepparton to catch up with some people so it’s kind of a no-brainer to just drive up the road and have a game of golf.

“It’s also about putting everything we have been working on into practice and at the moment that is pretty much just about playing golf, the more I can get out and play the better my game gets.”

Lyle will head back to the US in mid-January, a week ahead of playing in the Humana Challenge in Palm Springs.

The 33-year-old made his first PGA Tour start since 2012 after Monday qualifying for the Frys.com Open in October, where he made the cut and finished T31.

“It’s one of those tournaments that you have to shoot low numbers because in the desert at that time of year there is barely a breath of wind, it’s like playing golf indoors,” he said.

“But it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, Albury or the US, it is the same concept — you have to get in the hole for the least amount of shots as possible.”

Lyle, the winner of more than $2 million on the US tours, said his form was solid ahead of the $25,000 Pro-am today.

“The three weeks of golf in Australia have been solid but I’m just not getting anything out of it,” he said.

“My 25th in the PGA at the Gold Coast wasn’t too bad.

“The crowds were great and it helps that Scotty (Adam Scott) comes back and if we could get Jason Day back here as well it would be fantastic.

“Those tournaments have also thrown up some really outstanding juniors — we’ve seen players like Lucas Herbert, Ryan Ruffels, Zach — who I played a practice round with ahead of the Victorian Open at the start of the year — looking like generation next.

“Zach really impressed me with his game at 13th Beach and hopefully he can help me out here tomorrow.”