Marc Leishman is reluctantly again skipping the Emirates Australian Open later this month to be present at the wedding of his caddy.
Matt Kelly, who also hails from Warranbool in Victoria, has been caddying for Leishman for seven years during which time Leishman has enjoyed some of the best golf of his career.
In fact, Kelly was on the bag when the soon-to-be 31 year Leishman captured a maiden PGA Tour title in winning the 2012 Travellers Championship.
However it was a year later when Leishman burst onto the world stage in fighting with fellow Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day for the 2013 Masters crown before finishing fourth behind Scott.
Australia’s Marc Leishman reluctantly missing the Australian Open to attend wedding of his caddy.
The pair actually began working together at the 2007 HSBC Champions event in China.
“I’ve known Matty for a long time so it will be nice to be present at Jacksonville Beach in Florida for his wedding,” said Leishman.
Warranbool’s most famous golfer will be back in Australia a week following the Australian Open to take his place in the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Pines.
“I’ve missed the Australian Open the last few years but then I’ve played the Australian PGA Championship every year since I’ve been a pro,” he said.
“It’s disappointing not be able to play the Australian Masters and Australian Open but you can’t play them all.
“I am back in Warrnabool for about month spending Christmas and New Year in Australia so I’m looking forward to that.”
This year Leishman continued to consolidate his PGA Tour stature with a second place finish in the Farmer’s Insurance Open and third in both the Bryon Nelson Championship and third in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational.
As well, Leishman had three other top-10s to end the 2013/14 PGA Tour wraparound season 58th on the FedEx Cup points table with earnings of $US 2.558m.
“I got the season off to a good start at the Farmer’s Insurance but through February and March I wasn’t that great but then played good the second half of the year.
“Looking back it was probably my best year on the PGA Tour even though I didn’t have a victory but then I gave myself a lot of chances.
“And if I had to pick out a highlight it would be the British Open and the Bridgestone as I played really well at Royal Liverpool shooting a last round 65 to finished tied fifth behind Rory (McIlroy) and get myself back automatically to St. Andrews next year.”
