TPC Boston, MA ….
Marc Leishman and unlike many of his contemporaries revealed he has just close to 20 putters in the ‘back shed’ of his Virginia Beach residence.
In contrast, England’s Lee Westwood once bragged he had collected well over 100 putters while Leishman admits he has never been one to swap of change putters.
In fact, the Odyssey putter Leishman used to record just 27 putts to be in contention on day one of the Dell Technologies Championship with a round of 71 is the same Odyssey putter the Victorian used to capture the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this year.
The effort in bright but cold conditions on the TPC Boston course handed Leishman a four-way share of second place and just one shot adrif of World No. 1 Dustin Johnson who recorded a five-under par 66.
“I would have five or six Odysseys and a few Scotty Cameron putters as I used Scotty Cameron for a long while, I would have about 20 which is not a whole lot,” he said.
‘Leish’ raced to be three-under par with three birdies in succession from the second to fourth holes and while he dropped a shot at the fifth the current World No. 30 bounced back with birdies at seven and eight.
He dropped a second shot of the round at the 13th but ended on a positive note at the par five, 18th where his second shot was long and through the green before chipping to just over two-metres and holing the birdie putt.
“After those three birdies in my first four holes I just kept making those par putts you need to make to keep the round going and rolled-in a couple of long birdies that was good,” he said.
“Then down the last I hit a great drive, a great second shot but just got a hard bounce but managed to hole about an eight-footer to end with a birdie and that was a nice way to finish.
“Overall, I struck the ball pretty well, but the putter was really good, which is what let me down last week. So happy with all the work that I’ve put in early in the week. It paid off today, and hopefully can keep the ball rolling the next few days.”
Leishman took a week off following his 13th place finish in the PGA Championship and his next best of the four Majors in 2017 following a T6th in the Open Championship.
But then scores of 71 and 72 at the Northern Trust saw Leishman drop six places to 20th on the FedEx Cup standings.
“I still have the same putter I used last week and just did a little bit more work on the speed, and you know, just charted the greens a little bit more than I probably would have otherwise here this week.,” he said.
Not the Leishman back shed but very typical of the sheds you find in the back of peoples houses.
“I came out here on Tuesday, didn’t even bring my golf clubs. Just came out here and rolled a few balls.
“Like I say, I felt really confident on the greens, which was good. I have never been a big one for change. I don’t generally — yeah, change putters and all that too often. I’ve been using it for over a year now, so same one. Feel like it’s been working all year, so one bad week, I won’t let it worry me too much
“Last week the putter was frustrating and put in a lot of work early in the week on my putting.
“I worked on just matching speed and the line. Last week the speed wasn’t very good and this week it’s a little better. So I did a lot of work on charting the greens this week and certainly paid off there.”
Marc Leishman being interviewed by Australasian Tours Mr. 60@ Paul Gow.
And with the hopeful assurance of contesting all four rounds of the closing three Play-Off events and then tee-up in the September 28th starting Presidents Cup Leishman stated he felt good physically and mentally.
“I feel as though I have managed myself well this year as I haven’t played a whole lot of golf while there has been things going on off the course such as another addition to the family,” he said.
“So, I would say over the last two to three years I have got better in managing my time on and off the course, so that has helped control my energy levels”.
Meantime –
Leishman, and like many competitors this week in Boston, is wearing an American tri-colour ribbon attached to his Callaway cap as a show of support to those affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Marc Leishman and his family earlier this year in capturing the Arnold Palmer Invitational – Young Harvey left in photo.
And with Leishman’s oldest child, 5-year old Harvey he revealed an amusing side to the devastation and despair caused in Texas by the hurricane.
“One of my sons is named Harvey and every time he hears Hurricane Harvey mentioned on the TV he says: “Hey daddy? They are saying my name again.
“But then looking at the pictures the destruction has been awful and wearing a ribbon for support of those affected in theses we can do.”
