Marc on Aussie mission
MARC Leishman craves victory at the World Cup or Australian PGA next month.
Claiming his first big trophy on home fairways is gnawing away after 13 years as a pro and the Victorian knows he is overdue to convert form into a win.
His astonishing flood of 28 birdies and an eagle to beat a top PGA Tour field in Kuala Lumpur last Sunday is no signal that he will now be cruising to Christmas.
“There’s no issue with staying hungry, especially because I haven’t won a big one in Australia,” Leishman said.
“It’s fun playing well, holding up those trophies and creating memories like that.
“To win at home, World Cup or PGA ... I’ll take whatever I can get. I’m not fussy.”
There was more to the CIMB Classic than a fourth victory on the PGA Tour, a jump to No. 16 in the world and hitting a crazy $ 34 million in prizemoney out of the US alone. Fellow Aussie Cameron Smith was waiting at the final green to congratulate him and cement the bond between Australia’s World Cup pair.
The pair will headline the Australian PGA at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast, from November 29, and what a buzz if they were to land as World Cup winners days earlier.
“Close friendships are going to help a team,” Leishman said of the World Cup at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne ( November 22- 25).
“It was nice to have Cam to celebrate with and we had dinner together almost every night ( in Kuala Lumpur).”
Leishman is old school when it comes to filling trophies with beer to celebrate a win so the metallic struts of the CIMB Classic trophy were no help.
“It was beers and pizza ( at the pool bar), low key,” Leishman said.
They would have been his own brew, Leishman Lager, if he had his way because the craft beer is a winner which sells out when every small batch rolls out in Virginia.
“Low key” is the Leishman way and he is unperturbed that Adam Scott and Jason Day will always turn heads in the street when he doesn’t.
“I don’t think about money at all, now I’m not playing for my livelihood, and I like that I fly under the radar a bit,” Leishman said. “I’ll leave it to them. It’s not my personality to grab attention.” His golf does. Leishman and Smith, who is playing all three big events with the Australian Open, World Cup and PGA, will be the wonderful pulse of a new summer of golf if they click.