Staff WriterMarc Leishman stole the show at LIV Golf Miami this weekend, stepping into the spotlight on one of golf’s most daunting stages.
That’s quite a turnaround considering that, in the previous LIV Golf tournament in Singapore last month, Leishman tied for 51st—his worst result in LIV Golf.
But on a demanding course toughened by wind gusts and firm greens, he produced a masterpiece of steady, patient play that left the Blue Monster trembling.
“It was pretty disgusting how I played there,” Leishman said of Singapore. “To come back on a golf course like this where there’s trouble around every single corner, I think playing so bad in Singapore helped me today just not letting my guard down at all.”
Marc Leishman | Winning Bag | LIV Golf Miami (-6)
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond 10.5°, Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft
5 Wood: Ping G430 Max 18°, Fujikura Ventus Black 8X shaft
7 Wood: Ping G430 Max 21°, Fujikura Ventus Black 9X shaft
Irons: Callaway Apex CB (4-9), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 130X shafts
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 46° (10F), 50° (08F), 54° (10S), Vokey Wedgeworks 60° (A), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 130X shafts
Putter: Odyssey Versa 1 Wide White Putter, SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol 1.0
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Well, if you’re going to kick off the U.S. leg of the season, you might as well do it on a course that’s more terrifying than a tax audit.
That’s how the action started—and the Blue Monster at Trump Doral, aptly named for its grumpy demeanour, certainly lived up to its reputation.
In conditions that felt like they were testing both swing mechanics and mental fortitude, players found themselves reeling by the end of Friday’s blustery introduction.
When Saturday rolled around, the gallery watched Bryson DeChambeau bolt to the top of the leaderboard.
He manhandled the Monster to the tune of 5 under, cruising into Sunday with a swagger.
But the final day can be more fickle than a Miami weather forecast, and DeChambeau soon discovered that Sunday’s version of the Blue Monster had been reading revenge novels overnight.
Meanwhile, Marc Leishman started his final round three shots off the lead, quickly moving up the leaderboard with birdies in two of his first four holes.
He briefly shared the top spot with Bryson DeChambeau through eight, but the Crushers GC captain stumbled around the turn, going bogey-double bogey to effectively end his chances.
Leishman’s final birdie of the day at the par-5 10th gave him a three-shot cushion, which he guarded with eight consecutive pars, never letting his challengers sniff an opening.
Yet a few of them mounted a back-nine charge. Stingers GC’s Charl Schwartzel reeled off four straight birdies to climb into contention, while his teammate Dean Burmester, the defending LIV Golf Miami champion, also popped onto the radar before a rough finish.
Fireballs GC Captain Sergio Garcia, seeking his second win of the season, was 3-under during an 11-hole stretch, narrowing the gap and moving within a shot of Leishman with a deft birdie at the 17th.
Leishman, playing one group ahead, found the trees with his tee shot at 18 and had to punch out, leaving himself a 13-footer for par. He drained the clutch putt to stay a shot ahead.
“I wanted this one pretty bad, especially having a two-shot lead teeing off 18,” Leishman said. “Probably the worst hole in the world to have – two shots is nothing on that hole.”
Garcia then hit his own tee shot into trouble, and his approach found the water. “I had an opening there with a 3-iron, and then I just needed three or four more feet, and it would’ve been great,” Garcia said of his second shot.
That miscue secured the title for Leishman, who was watching from the practice green.
It was an especially sweet victory given that just a few months ago in Singapore, he was left stewing over his worst-ever LIV showing.
“I’ve played well in a lot of LIV events,” Leishman said. “I’ve had chances to win, haven’t won.
You wonder if you’re going to win again … I doubted myself but that just made it all so much sweeter today.”
As for the rest of the field, the final round had all the tension of a high-stakes thriller—more twists than a python’s yoga class and enough drama to keep everyone guessing until the last ball dropped.
Masters Watch: How Did the LIV Dozen Perform?
Third-round scores for all twelve LIV golfers who will be playing for the green jacket next week.
With seven of this week’s top ten heading to Augusta, the Masters field will see a handful of formidable contenders arriving battle-tested.
- Tyrrell Hatton; 9-over
- Bubba Watson; 9-over
- Joaquin Niemann; 9-over
- Dustin Johnson; 7-over
- Brooks Koepka; 4-over
- Cam Smith; 1-over
- Jon Rahm; 1-over
- Patrick Reed; Even
- Phil Mickelson; 1-under
- Bryson DeChambeau; 2-under
- Sergio Garcia; 4-under
- Charles Schwartzel; 1st Place; 5-under
Even the team event offered a rollercoaster ride. Ripper GC, taking a narrow advantage into Sunday, unleashed a performance that reminded everyone why they’re the reigning champs.
After conquering one of golf’s fiercest layouts, Marc Leishman goes forward on a high, demonstrating he’s got the calm and composure to thrive under the fiercest pressure.
If this is a preview of what’s in store, fans might want to clear their schedules for the dramatic twists likely ahead.
