Marc Leishman, the 41-year-old golfer from Warrnambool who has proved himself Australia’s most resilient player on the world stage during the British Open at Royal Portrush. After a frustrating first round dominated by slow play and other frustrations, he rebounded big time in the second round. It was a great decision to birdie the 12th hole! His dominant showing landed him a featured weekend spot. The plane crash survivor shot a final-round 68 to post a three-round total of one under par.
Leishman started his day early at 6:35 am, having set his alarm “as late as possible” because he values his sleep. Those early hours would be hard-fought as he suffered through a disappointing first round. He made the whole thing sound like it took him “about 12 hours” on the course. It was the snail’s sobbing pace of play that led to the most frustration. He had to—that’s something he had to live with all day every day.
Despite his early troubles, Leishman showed determination. He faced setbacks with two bogeys at holes 13 and 14, including a particularly disappointing shank off the tee at the 13th. He was able to regroup quickly and finish really strong. Then, with a few clutch birdies, he jumped over his compatriots on the scoreboard, blasting into the lead among the Australians in the field.
I’ll toast it with a pint or two of Guinness and make an afternoon of it,” Leishman said after his round. His playful jab was a glimpse into his incredible sense of humor. It was impressive to see how strong it was even considering the challenges he faced earlier that very day.
Leishman was a standout as the only Australian golfer to survive the cut this week. He shined in a cohort in which his countrymen failed to deliver. His performance was memorable enough, but all the more particularly given his prior history at the Open. In 2015, he finished second at St Andrews, only to lose in a playoff. Over his career, he has finished in the top 10 at the Open three times, showcasing his ability to compete at high levels.
Leishman’s position as it stood put him nine shots back of the leader, former Texas native Scottie Scheffler. Nevertheless, his attention is on making the most of this opportunity with his eyes on the prize as he enters the last few holes of the tournament. He was focused on one thing Friday afternoon, and that was the television screen so he could scrutinize the competition. Today, he says he’s more prepared to tackle whatever challenges may come next.
