Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle says he couldn’t have asked for better from an inspirational comeback to the US PGA Tour following his second battle with leukaemia.

Lyle finished five-under-par and in 31st place at the Frys.com Open at the season opener in Napa, California – his first PGA Tour event in more than two and a half years.

Compatriot Steve Bowditch produced a blistering final round to take second spot behind South Korean winner Bae Sang-Moon.

Bowditch started Sunday’s final round eight strokes off the pace but shot five-under on the back nine to finish two adrift.

But Bowditch’s bid for his second PGA Tour title, after a breakthrough triumph at the Texas Open in March, was overshadowed by the feel-good story of his countryman Lyle.

Lyle, last played on the PGA Tour in February 2012 before being forced off to seek treatment for his second bout of leukaemia.

Knocked back for a sponsor exemption, the Victorian made the Napa tournament field by qualifying on Monday and returned rounds of 72-70-71-70 – his last round on Sunday featuring birdies on three of his final four holes.

“To come here without a tournament to play, and then get through on the Monday (qualifier) and make the cut and play reasonable golf for four days, I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Lyle said.

“Just playing golf is a success. To get four rounds in was pretty special. It’s something that I can go away now and assess this weekend then just build on it from now.”

The 33-year-old will now drive from northern California to Las Vegas for his next tournament, where he has a sponsor’s exemption into the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open starting Thursday in Nevada.

The Los Vegas event will be Lyle’s last US PGA tournament of the year before returning to play in the Australian summer and meet with doctors.

Because he was forced off the tour by his illness, Lyle has a medical exemption which allows him to play 20 US PGA Tour events. And if he can earn about $US285,000, he will earn his Tour card once again.

He banked $US37,700 for his 31st placing after playing his final round with fellow Australian Marc Leishman, whom he played regularly with at the Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne as a junior.

“It’s nice to be able to play with a guy you’ve grown up playing golf with,” Lyle said.

“When I saw that pairing I thought it would be a good, fun day.”