Marc Leishman looms as an Australian PGA Championship smoky as the former PGA Tour heavyweight completes the best year of his life.
The Victorian was runner-up in the event behind his good mate Cameron Smith in 2018 and, after carding a seven-under final round, finished third last year at Royal Queensland.
Jason Day's return home to play after seven years, defending champion Min Woo Lee's rise and Brisbane product Smith's status at his pet event have rightfully granted them headline status.
Leishman, ranked as high as No.12 in the world, insists he belongs in the conversation though and is fresh after a LIV Golf season alongside Smith that netted their Ripper outfit the team championship.
"It's a really good field ... a lot of guys coming into form and I'd like to think I'm one of those names," he said.
“Off the golf course, (2024) was probably, I would say, the happiest I’ve ever been and probably the best year of my life.
“Combined with the golf, it was a really good year.”
Leishman lost in a playoff at the 2015 Open Championship, was Australia's first PGA Tour rookie of the year, boasts six PGA Tour wins and played for his country at the Tokyo Games.
But he's watched every major from the couch since moving to the unsanctioned rebel tour in 2022 and, rarely able to earn rankings points, is now just clinging to a spot in the world's top 1000.
He'll tell you he's never been better though, in a rousing endorsement of the 14-stop Saudi-backed tour that's slowly reaching a PGA Tour ceasefire after a merger was flagged last June.
“It’s very rare in golf that you get to actually celebrate with other people when you win that are equally as happy as you are,” he said.
It all started at LIV's Adelaide event, Leishman and Smith pairing to win the team event in a play-off in raucous scenes at The Grange.
Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones also did their bit as Ripper powered to overall honours.
“That’s the cool thing about what we get to do now when we win as a team," he said.
"There’s eight or 10 guys (including caddies) that are all over the moon and we certainly celebrate accordingly."
It's back to business and every man for himself in Brisbane, and then Melbourne at the Australian Open from next Thursday, though.
“Another box I would like to tick is to win an event on LIV individually as well as an Australian PGA or an Australian Open,” he said.
“I had a good finish last year and I’m hoping to go a couple better this year and try to leave with some silverware.”
