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Struggling Leishman ready for US Open test

3 minute read

Marc Leishman has endured a poor stretch of results but is confident he can turn it around at the US Open at Winged Foot in New York.

MARC LEISHMAN of Australia hits a tee shot in the final round of the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in Jeju, South Korea.
MARC LEISHMAN of Australia hits a tee shot in the final round of the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in Jeju, South Korea. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

Marc Leishman's on-course struggles continue but the Australian star refuses to get down on himself as he readies for the US Open at New York's brutal Winged Foot course.

Leishman is among nine Australians, including Jason Day and Adam Scott, contesting the second rescheduled major of 2020.

World No.26 Leishman was the form Australian on the US PGA Tour at the start of 2020, winning at California's Torrey Pines in January and finishing second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.

But since the US Tour resumed in June after a 90-day shutdown from COVID-19, Leishman has missed four cuts from nine starts with a tie for 40th his best finish in full-field events.

The five-time US Tour winner has vowed to return to top form soon and he hopes that comes as soon as this Friday (AEST) when the US Open starts.

"These down times are what make the success so much sweeter and why you should always celebrate your wins," Leishman told AAP from New York.

"That's what I'm looking at this as; I'm going to learn something from what I'm going through now.

"It's not in my DNA to quit, I think I'm going to win again soon and hopefully it's at a big event."

Last month at the BMW Championship at Chicago's Olympia Fields, a former US Open venue, Leishman finished last among a 70-player field with a 30-over-par total.

The Warrnambool native believes getting beaten up by a tough course has prepared him for Winged Foot, one of the most difficult tests on the US Open rota.

Winged Foot is typically set up with narrow fairways, devilishly thick rough and lightning-fast greens.

In 2006, Australia's Geoff Ogilvy won the US Open there with a 72-hole total of five-over-par.

"I had my tail between my legs little bit after Olympia Fields but it gave me a good examination of where my game was at and I'm better for it," Leishman said.

The US Open is typically Leishman's weakest major given he has missed three cuts from eight starts, with a best result a share of 18th in 2016.

But Leishman says his world-class short game will help him survive the US Open test.

"I'm driving the ball well and I will need to do that at Winged Foot," he said.

"The US Open is not normally a happy hunting ground for me but Winged Foot is going to be brutal for everyone.

"I will lean on my short game, but if I can hit fairways, my iron play is a strength and could put me in contention."

Joining Leishman at the US Open are countrymen Day, Scott, Cameron Smith, Curtis Luck, Lukas Michel (amateur), Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones and Scott Hend.

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