It has been a solid start not only to the 2021-22 season, but to the new year for Marc Leishman. Finding form that escaped him post-pandemic, he appears ready to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since his 2020 Farmers Insurance Open.
Collecting numerous close calls during the swing season, namely at the Fortinet Championship and Shriners Children’s Open, the Australian carried his strong play to Kapalua. Qualified via his team win alongside Cameron Smith at the Zurich Classic, Leishman struck the ball adequately and finished in a tie for 10th. Staying in Hawaii for the Sony Open, it was much of the same as the driver and irons cooperated, while his short-game did not. Finishing in a tie for 36th, the 38-year-old rested for a week and will now turn his attention to Torrey Pines, the site of his last solo victory. Outlasting the likes of Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy in 2020, Leishman is now set for his 14th appearance in the Farmers Insurance Open. Garnering a scoring average of 70.52, in addition to his victory, the Olympian has captured two runners-up, two top-10 finishes, and two top-20 finishes. Clearly a big fan of the San Diego area, if able to have his around-the-green come back to life, one should not be surprised if Leishman is in contention come Saturday.