Marc Leishman says there’s no reason why he can’t become the first Australian to win the Masters after becoming a surprise joint leader following the first round at Augusta National.
Leishman finally shook off months of poor form and debilitating illness to fire a six-under-par 66, with seven birdies and a bogey, and sit on top of the leaderboard with Spain’s Sergio Garcia.
Long-hitting American Dustin Johnson was third alone at 67.
It was a fine opening day for the four-man Australian contingent, with Adam Scott returning a 69 to be tied 10th and Jason Day – like world No.1 Tiger Woods – shooting 70 to share 13th while John Senden had an even par 72.
In his last six starts on the US tour 29-year-old Leishman had missed three cuts and not finished higher than a tie for 38th.
But, having almost shaken a viral infection, the Victorian showcased his true talent and was not ruling out making history as the first Australian to win a Masters green jacket.
“There’s a lot of golf left, and a lot of hurdles to clear but if I can keep playing the way I’m playing, keep holing the crucial par putts and just putting the way I have been, there’s no reason why not,” said Leishman, who is playing his second Masters.
“But there’s a lot of good players obviously and a lot of holes left.
“Obviously that’s the goal. I’ve just got to try and execute it and see how we go.
“To be here is awesome. I feel good about my game.”
Still on antibiotics for the infection and with a much trimmer figure thanks to the illness as well as some quality exercise, Leishman was happy to come out with the necessary energy on the first tee.
While his nerves got the best of him with an early bogey he rebounded quickly on the third hole to get back square with par before making a huge move around the turn and deep on the back nine.
“I felt probably the closest to 100 per cent as I have in a couple of months,” said Leishman. “I’d say 90 per cent.
“I woke up this morning feeling good and it’s funny when you’ve been sick and then you feel good you’re like ‘how good do I feel’.
“It was good that it worked out that today was the first day I felt half decent.”
Leishman birdied the par-five eighth before gaining another shot with birdie on the difficult 10th hole.
He then went on a blitz with four consecutive birdies from hole 13 through 16. He dropped an eight-foot birdie on the 13th, fired in a precision approach on the 14th to inside three-feet where the birdie tied him for the lead.
He then claimed sole possession with a neat little chip shot to close on the 15th and put the hammer down with a bomb of a birdie putt from 35 feet across the 16th green which Leishman described as being from ‘a different zip code’.
A clutch six-foot par save after finding the bunker on the 17th allowed him to maintain his momentum and he cleverly made a two-putt par on the last after being in the fairway trap.
“It was a good day obviously,” Leishman said.
“I got off to a bit of a shaky start, a few nerves early but got those out of the way with a birdie at three and then we’re away.
“I hit some good shots, made some reasonably easy pars, and I think that’s what gave me the confidence to go on from there.”
Chinese 14-year-old amateur Tianlang Guan impressed everyone by shooting 73 to be the leading amateur and beating the likes of defending champion Bubba Watson (75).
World No.2 Roy McIlroy shot level par and three-time winner Phil Mickelson had a 71.
