Marc Leishman is confident of continuing his rich vein of form, targeting this week’s Crowne Plaza Invitational as the perfect venue to lock up a spot in the US and British Opens.
After a wonderful month of form where he tied fourth at the Masters, tied ninth at the Heritage, tied eighth at the Players Championship and tied 12th at the Byron Nelson Championship, the Victorian tees it up at Colonial Country Club knowing another high result will see him back on the major stage.
Sitting at a career high 58th in the world the 29-year-old needs only to stay inside the top 60 of the world rankings this week to lock up a spot at the US Open at Merion Golf Club on June 13-16.
Should he make a jump into the top 50 in the world – probably needing around a top five finish – he would also get a ticket back to the British Open on July 18-21 at Muirfield.
“I feel like this is a course I can go really low on, my form is good and I know I need to play well to get in the Opens so I’m really looking forward to another big week,” Leishman told AAP.
“I’m just extremely confident with my game. I’m striking the ball well and I’m hitting the shots I want to hit. When you execute and the results end up on the board after it, it certainly helps the confidence.”
Leishman says just a month ago the punters he would share a drink with at his local pub didn’t realise he was a golfer.
But now they pat him on the back like he’s a star after his Masters efforts and he is garnering more confidence from his time in the spotlight.
It has given him the drive to push not only towards the top 50 in the world, but higher still.
“Normally I’d be walking down the fairway and one person every nine holes might yell out ‘go Marc’ but in the last few weeks I’m getting quite a few people every hole giving me the ‘go Leish’ cheers and it’s a really good feeling to know you’ve earned a bit of support,” he says.
“It just cements in your mind you are playing good golf.
“At the start of last year my ranking had dropped a fair bit so I had my eyes on getting towards the top 50 but now I’m getting close I have desire to go further.
“Now I think a gettable goal is the top 20. I have to still break the top 50 first but it is well within reach and you have to set your goals high.
“We are only a little over halfway of this season and my game is as good as it’s ever been.”
Aaron Baddeley, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Steven Bowditch, Greg Chalmers, Scott Gardiner, Matt Jones, and John Senden join Leishman in the field.
