Marc Leishman has vowed to continue the Aussie victory tradition heading to the final two rounds of the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

Leishman birdied the closing hole in a round of a four-under par 68 to end the day sharing the lead with American lefty Brian Harmon on 10-under par.

Australia’s top-ranked golfer headed into day two of the 38-player event leading by a stroke following an opening 67 and  maintained the lead with the Victorian-born Leishman birdied the second hole in bright but windy conditions on the Kapalua course.

Marc Leishmas birdies the last to end day two tied for the lead in the 2018 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Lieshman, however, then found himself trailing behind Harmon in completing his outward half in just two-under par after a birdie at the par-3 eighth hole.

The 30-year old Georgia-based Harmon had posted a first day 68 and had moved to five under as he headed to his inward nine and with Harmon lighting up round courtesy of five birdies, including three in succession from the 13th hole, and just the one dropped shot in a second straight 68 for his 10-under total

Leishman had kept his cool picking-up a third birdie of his day at the 14th after chipping his second shot to just over a meter before finding the green in two at the par-5 18th and two-putting for his fourth birdie of the day.

“You play to win and that is the gaol again this week and after the year I had last year, I feel like that when I am in this position I mean to finish it off,” he said.

“So, that is what I am planning on doing and hopefully I can play well and keep making some putts and get another win.

“The greens were getting pretty firm there over the last few holes and with the wind drying them out as the day goes on but then you still have to hit good shots and make good putts.

“So, hopefully I can do that over the final two rounds.”

And if the current World No. 12 needed any extra incentive to capture the very first tournament of the New Year then Leishman has only to look at the Tournament of Champions list of former champions with the Australian flag the second most recognisable.

Steve Elkington won the event in 1992 and then again in 1995 before Stuart Appleby dominated winning three years in succession from 2004 and 2006 while Geoff Ogilvy wrote his name into tournament records capturing the title in 2009 and then successfully defening in 2010.

Though Leishman’s and Harmon’s biggest threat could come from World No. 1 Dustin Johnson who is lurking just one shot back on nine-under par following his rounds of 68 and 69.

And  ‘DJ’ is a former Hawaiian winner having won by four shots in 2013.

honattan Vegas, Pat Perez and Chris Stroud fired sizzling 66s to share fourth at eight under.

Spieth, the 2016 champion at Kapalua’s Plantation course on Maui, bounced back from his opening 75 with a brilliant 66 on day two.

Three-time major winner Spieth’s five-under tournament total leaves him tied for 13th with Spanish ace Jon Rahm.

Leishman’s fellow Australian Cameron Smith clawed back from a disappointing opening 75 with a 70 to lift his total to one-under the card and he is tied for 24th.

Defending champion Justin Thomas limped to a 75 and he falls to even-par overall.