Marc Leishman has made a late surge towards a captain’s pick for next month’s Presidents Cup – which would take Australia’s representation in the International team to just three.
Adam Scott and Jason Day were officially announced as members of captain Nick Price’s 12-man International team on Sunday, joining five South Africans – Charl Schwartzel, Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and Richard Sterne – plus Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, Canadian Graham DeLaet and Argentina’s Angel Cabrera as automatic selections.
Price will select two further players as captain’s picks to complete the team on Wednesday ahead of the biennial Presidents Cup battle with the Americans at Muirfield Village in Ohio on October 3-6.
Thanks to his tie for 16th in the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston on Sunday, Leishman pushed up to 12th on the team standings and well and truly into the mix for one of those spots.
Leishman claimed his maiden US PGA tour win last year but caught Price’s attention after a impressive tie for fourth at the Masters in April. That was one of four top-10s for the season while a solid tie for 12th in the recent US PGA Championship also strengthened the Victorian’s claims.
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and South African Tim Clark sit in 11th and 13th on the list around Leishman and are also contending for the remaining spots.
Clark, although behind on the rankings, is favoured thanks to his previous experience of playing in three President’s Cups.
He was also an assistant captain to Greg Norman’s 2011 team while injured.
Price could also plump fellow Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge after his tie for ninth at TPC Boston shifted him to 14th on the standings.
George Coetzee (South Africa), Brett Rumford (Australia), Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand) and Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) are all outside chances of a call up.
Tiger Woods, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Keegan Bradley, Jason Dufner, Bill Haas, Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson make up the 10 automatic picks for the Americans, a strong side with five major winners.
Despite having major winners Webb Simpson, Jim Furyk and Bubba Watson just outside the automatic qualification zone, US captain Fred Couples might pull a surprise and pick rookie sensation Jordan Spieth as one of his two picks.
Spieth became the youngest US PGA winner since 1931 when he claimed the John Deere Classic at 19-years-old in July and the now 20-year-old lost in a playoff at the Wyndham Championship just last month.
He finished off his push for selection with a tie for fourth after a final round 62 on Sunday.
