LEISHMAN LEADS IN HAWAII
Aussie shares lead after escaping American freeze
MARC Leishman played bogey-free yesterday and was tied for the lead in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Lahaina, Hawaii.
Leishman two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th for a 4under 69, giving him a share of the lead with Brian Harman (68) going into the weekend on the windy Plantation Course with 15 players separated by five shots.
Leishman has played once in the past 10 weeks ... well one tournament.
It was too cold to practise at his home in Virginia Beach, so he headed to the multi-tiered golf complex where points are scored for hitting targets. “I scored all right,” he said. “I remember the first time I went there, I didn’t realise there was a leaderboard at the front desk.
“I scored really high, and then all of a sudden all the people turn around and I’m having a couple of beers, just having fun.” One patron said to him, “You’re pretty good with the tools.”
He was pretty good in windy conditions at Kapalua. Leishman birdied the final hole to join Harman at 10-under 136 going into the weekend of this winners-only event.
Harman came on strong on the back nine and picked up his third birdie in unlikely fashion.
He was down the steep slope right of the green on the par-5 15th, and his first chip barely reached the green and rolled back down the hill. He chipped it in for birdie and then picked up his fifth birdie of the back nine on the 18th.
Dustin Johnson overcame a sluggish start for a 68 and was one shot behind, making him a strong threat going into the final two rounds.
Jordan Spieth shot 66 to get within five shots of the lead. He walked in a 6m putt at No. 6 and knew his 4m effort at No. 8 was going to fall even before he stroked the putt.
“That’s a feeling I haven’t had in quite a while with the putter,” he said. “So a big step forward. A lot of progress.”