Leishman lays down a marker
THURSDAY was all about Sunday for Marc Leishman who lapped up the spotlight of playing with comeback kid Tiger Woods.
Shooting 70 was good, but soaking up the pressure- packed atmosphere of an Augusta crowd energised by the return of the modern day hero was better.
Leishman has major ambitions and by leading the Aussie charge he signalled an intent to take his best well into tomorrow afternoon.
“I looked as it as a good thing, because if I am going to win this on Sunday afternoon, I’m going to have to deal with crowds like that, and the energy around the grounds,” the Victorian said.
“I looked at it more as preparation, as a positive. Hopefully, I’ll be around on Sunday afternoon to find out.
“If I am, I can look back on some of the things I learned today. You don’t play in front of bigger crowds than that. I’m glad I played well. You always want to play well in front of big crowds.”
Big is an understatement to describe the moving hordes that huddled out the back of the clubhouse for hours before Woods arrived, just to get a glimpse of the returning king.
Security personnel mapped out a Tiger- only path to the putting green, where Leishman was waiting, there early because that sort of protection from the people wasn’t coming his way.
“I got a standing ovation on the range. Coming up to the first tee, the people come out of the clubhouse and the putting green, they’re really into it,” Leishman said.
Like the Aussie, for Woods opening day was about more than the number he posted.
Woods walked off the 18th at Augusta with a smile on his face, knowing at least one mission was accomplished.
In a rollercoaster round that included brilliance, and bad bogeys, the best and worst of a rusty four- time green jacket winner playing the Masters for the first time in 1086 days, Woods couldn’t not be happy with his one- over 73.