Leishman's Maui gamble fuels PGA Tour win

Marc Leishman admits booking flights to Hawaii for the Tournament of Champions before becoming eligible was motivation during his PGA Tour win in Malaysia.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Marc Leishman had already booked flights to the winner's-only Tournament of Champions in Hawaii in January before his five-shot victory in Malaysia made him eligible.

The bold move was somewhat a confident statement he could get the job done despite having just two US PGA Tour events left on his 2018 schedule.

Although the 34-year-old admitted the Tournament of Champions' host island Maui would be an ideal holiday had he not won by year's end, Leishman was determined to earn his fourth PGA Tour title and avoid being just a tourist.

"There was certainly extra motivation to win (in Malaysia) knowing how much the kids and (wife) Audrey loved Maui last year," Leishman told AAP from Kuala Lumpur.

"Particularly having played well there; Kapalua is a course I feel I can win on."

Leishman held the 36-hole lead at the Tournament of Champions this year before sharing seventh place.

The Victorian has occasionally been compared to golf great Arnold Palmer for a similarly kind-hearted demeanour towards fans and officials.

But Leishman possesses significant self-belief that has fuelled victories on four golf tours around the world, including the European and Korean circuits.

Last year, he held off Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler to win the PGA Tour's elite, 70-man BMW Championship by five shots in wire-to-wire fashion.

"I think over the past few years, since (finishing second) at the British Open in 2015, that confidence inside me has grown a lot; knowing my good stuff can beat anyone," Leishman said.

"It's alright to be confident in yourself and I don't feel the need to be obvious about it; you can be quietly confident in your own ability.

"My expectations have changed after these (four PGA Tour) wins, knowing what I'm capable of."

Despite earning almost $A35 million in career prize money on the PGA Tour, Leishman insists he will remain the same approachable bloke from Warrnambool.

"I think it's so much easier to be nice; ... everyone is a person with a heartbeat and I don't see why wouldn't treat people with anything other than kindness," he said.

Rising to world No.16 with his Malaysia triumph, Leishman has now set his sights on a debut stint in the top 10.

"To be in that top 10 would be huge; it's definitely a goal to get that before the end of the year," he said.

"The more you win the more respect, attention and pressure you get; I look at that as a positive."


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