Justin Rose and Francesco Molinari have led the tributes to Jarrod Lyle, the Australian golfer who has died from cancer at the age of 36.
Charismatic Lyle announced he was ending his treatment to enter palliative care last week, and spent his final days with family and friends before dying yesterday.
Lyle, 36, battled acute myeloid leukaemia for much of his adult life, but never let his fight against cancer dampen his spirits.
His wife, Briony, said in a statement: "It breaks my heart to tell everyone that Jarrod is no longer with us".
"He passed away peacefully. last night having spent his final week in Torquay among his family and close friends". "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".
A victor of two professional tournaments, Lyle returned to golf in 2013 having beaten cancer a second time before his latest diagnosis.
Many of Lyle's friends and competitors from his playing days are getting ready for the year's final major tournament, the PGA Championship, which begins Thursday at Bellerive Golf Course in Missouri.
"All along, he was displaying not only great golf to the galleries, but spreading love and messages of hope and inspiration to thousands worldwide who admired his personable demeanor", it said.
Lyle underwent a bone marrow transplant last December but last week decided not to continue with treatment after saying he'd "reached his limit".
Lyle turned professional in 2004.
"I spoke to his wife Bri recently and we both agreed that Jarrod is that rare person where nobody, and I mean nobody, can say a negative thing about".
Lyle's good friend and host of golfing podcast "Inside the Ropes", Mark Hayes, has now aired a message Lyle recordered for his fans last week.
Following his passing, Briony released a statement through Golf Australia thanking the golf world for its support while asking for privacy.
On Wednesday, Jarrod Lyle's long fight ended.
Golf Australia paid respects with a video and said the game "has lost one of its greatest characters". "Our humble thanks to you all", she added.
There will be a public memorial service at The Sands in Torquay on Thursday, September 27.
Lyle was initially diagnosed as a teenager in 1999, but it resurfaced twice, most recently past year.
She also explained that her husband wanted donations to be made to charity Challenge, in place of gifts and flowers.
Isenhour said the outpouring of support for Lyle's family was heartwarming in such a hard time.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said Lyle "was a true inspiration in the way he faced cancer with a persistently positive attitude and he carried himself with incredible grace, dignity and courage through the recurrences of this relentless disease". The fund will support the education of Lyle's children.
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