Marc Leishman is as Australian as they come but some Korean golfing roots have him primed to springboard off last week’s win at THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES. Fresh off a dominant display at the CIMB Classic where he won by five shots, the now four-time PGA TOUR winner returns to Jeju Island in South Korea a year after losing a playoff against Justin Thomas. While some of those in the field have limited experience with Korean culture, Leishman is not one of them. He played on the Korean Tour in 2006, three years before he would become the PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year. A win there catapulted his career forward and more importantly boosted his confidence to a new level. He also grew up fast, looking after himself in a strange foreign land where he didn’t speak the language. “I would just point at something and that’s what I would eat. That was probably the hardest thing for someone like me, who likes food,â€� Leishman said. “Playing in the Korean Tour did help me. Playing on courses that are so narrow really teaches you to hit the ball straighter and handle the pressure. Obviously, winning golf tournaments, which I managed to win one up here, was a great memory and a really good experience for me.â€� While the win last week has the affable Aussie relaxed, the memory of his loss to Thomas last year, where he found the water on the second playoff hole, is certainly driving him forward. Especially as the runner-up finish did not translate to further success. While he had won twice in the 2016-17 season, last season turned out winless although still successful enough to make the TOUR Championship. That goal isn’t enough for him anymore. He wants to win the FedExCup and will have a chance to take hold of the top spot early on this season with a good effort this week. He currently sits just 31 points behind Safeway Open winner Kevin Tway. “Getting off to such a good start to the year obviously here and up until probably the (AT&T) Byron Nelson I played really well and then I kind of cooled off a little bit, so that was a little frustrating,â€� he said of last season. “It was certainly a goal of mine to win this season and to win my first event of the year is great.â€� The win allows Leishman to “focus more on winning for the rest of the seasonâ€� and opens up a return to Maui for the Sentry Tournament of Champions … a clear favorite time of year for the entire Leishman family. He also now leads the International Team standings for the Presidents Cup to be held in his native Australia next year. Leishman is desperate to play under his childhood idol Ernie Els in his hometown of Melbourne. The win in Malaysia was built off some stellar putting (he needed just 102 putts for the week) but also a dialed in approach game. He intends to try to ride the momentum. “The difference was I was hitting it a lot closer to the hole,â€� Leishman said of his CIMB Classic efforts. “I know I had very few putts, I only had 25, 26 putts a round, but I think if we had strokes gained putting last week, it wouldn’t have been as impressive as the iron play numbers. “I had a lot of birdie putts from 8 foot and in, which is nice when you’re feeling good over the putter. Hoping I can continue that trend. “Hopefully, I can play well again and do one better than last year.â€�
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