PHP include a fallback to variable value

PHP include a fallback to variable value

In my PHP file I have a variable called mynumber as shown below.
$mynumber = "SELECT id FROM myTbl WHERE date >= CURDATE() LIMIT 1";
This works fine as mynumber unless I have no date field that is >= than
the curdate. I want to do something like
$mynumber = "SELECT ..." || 1
Currently I am doing.
$mynumberSelect = "SELECT id FROM myTbl WHERE matchdate >= CURDATE()
LIMIT 1";
if(empty($mynumberSelect)) {
$mynumber = "SELECT id FROM myTbl WHERE matchdate >= CURDATE() LIMIT 1";
}
else {
$mynumber = "SELECT id FROM myTbl ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT 1";
}
Which is working, but I thought there might be a better way to acheive this?