MELBOURNE — Along with the customary red, white and blue, the American team’s outfits at this week’s Presidents Cup feature a tinge of yellow.
Multiple members of both the U.S. and International teams are wearing the “Leuk the Duck” pin on their hats, an homage to Jarrod Lyle, the Australian PGA Tour pro who died in August 2018 after a lengthy battle with Leukemia.
Leuk the Duck is the mascot for Challenge, an Australian organization that supports children with cancer.
“All the guys got pins,” said Rickie Fowler, who was close with Lyle going back to their days on the non-Korn Ferry Tour. Fowler has worn yellow, Lyle’s signature color, while he plays since his friend passed at age 36.
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“Some of the guys are wearing them,” Fowler said. “Some of the guys didn’t know Jarrod, especially some of the younger guys, but yeah, they want to wear them. It’s obviously for a great cause. For the guys that did get to know him, we’re all for it.”
There will also be a golf outing to benefit Challenge on the Monday after the competition finishes. Fowler won’t be able to attend—he committed to corporate outings back in the U.S. before he knew he’d be replacing Brooks Koepka on the American team—but says he’s connected with Lyle’s wife Briony this week.
“I think she’s been impressed with how Jarrod’s name has kind of hung around,” Fowler said. “She was, I think, worried after him passing and being gone for a bit that it would start to lose traction.
“That hasn’t happened. She’s pretty excited about that.”