Marc A. Leishman (born 24 October 1983) is an Australian professional golfer. He has won six times on the PGA Tour. In 2009 he won the Rookie of the Year award on the PGA Tour, the first Australian to win the award.
Early years and amateur career Leishman was born in Warrnambool, Victoria. He had a very successful amateur career in Australia, winning many junior tournaments. He won the Warrnambool Club Championship as a 13-year-old while playing in the same group as his father. In 2001 he won the Victorian Junior Masters, the South Australian Junior Masters and was the Victorian Boys champion.
Professional career He turned professional in 2005. He played on the Von Nida Tour in 2006, winning two tournaments and topping the order of merit. In 2007, he played his rookie season on the Nationwide Tour finishing 92nd on the money list. He won his maiden title on the Nationwide Tour in 2008 at the WNB Golf Classic by a record-equaling (with Chris Smith) eleven shots. He finished the year 19th on the money list to earn his PGA Tour card for the 2009 season.
Leishman was voted the Rookie of the Year in 2009 after recording three top-10 finishes, which included a runner-up finish behind Tiger Woods at the BMW Championship, the third of the four FedEx Cup playoff events. Leishman subsequently qualified for the season ending Tour Championship. He ended the year 53rd on the money list. He recorded his second runner-up finish of his PGA Tour career at the Farmers Insurance Open in 2010. He finished inside the top 100 on the money list in both 2010 and 2011. He reached the BMW Championship in both seasons.
Leishman won his first tournament after 96 starts on the PGA Tour in June 2012 at the Travelers Championship, coming from six strokes back of the 54 hole leaders to win by a stroke. He shot a final round of 62, which included eight birdies and no bogeys to match his career best round and second best comeback in the tournament's history. He became the second Australian to win the event after Greg Norman in 1995.
At the 2013 Masters Tournament, Leishman was the co-leader after the opening round, alongside Sergio García, as he shot a six under total of 66. He maintained his challenge over the second and third rounds to go into the final day two strokes behind the leaders. He finished T-4 with Tiger Woods, four shots off the lead.
In July 2015, in The Open Championship at St Andrews, Leishman finished as joint runner-up after losing in a four-hole aggregate playoff during a Monday finish to the delayed tournament. After coming close to missing the cut after the first two rounds, Leishman shot a 64 during the third round and a 66 in the final round to finish in a tie for first place with Zach Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen. Leishman did have the sole lead of the Championship with six holes to go during the final round but bogeyed the 16th hole to drop back to 15-under-par and an eventual tie. In the resulting four-hole playoff, after finding a divot with his tee shot at the first hole, this led to a bogey while Johnson and Oosthuizen opened with birdies to open up a two-stroke gap over Leishman. A further bogey at the third hole left him three strokes behind on the final hole and out of contention but his tie for second place gave him his best performance in a major to date.
On 19 March 2017, Leishman won his second PGA Tour event, the Arnold Palmer Invitational. On 17 September 2017, he claimed his third PGA Tour event, the BMW Championship with a tournament record −23. On 14 October 2018, Leishman shot a 7-under 65 in the final round to win the CIMB Classic by five strokes and equal Justin Thomas' tournament record of 26-under-par in 2015 on the TPC Kuala Lumpur West course.
In December 2019, Leishman played on the International team at the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia. The U.S. team won 16–14. Leishman went 1–2–2 and halved his Sunday singles match against Rickie Fowler.
In January 2020, Leishman won the Farmers Insurance Open for his fifth PGA Tour title. Leishman shot a final round 65 to come from behind and defeat Jon Rahm by one stroke.
In April 2021, Leishman won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He was partnered with countryman Cameron Smith. The duo won in a playoff over Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel. Leishman competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in July/August 2021, in the men's competition, finishing 51st.
In August 2022, it was announced that Leishman had joined LIV Golf. He joined the all Australian Punch GC team, captained by Cameron Smith, which was renamed Ripper GC for the start of the following season. Leishman earned his first victory on the LIV Golf League in April 2025 at LIV Golf Miami, with a one-shot win over Charl Schwartzel.
Personal life
Leishman is married to Audrey and they have three children. They live in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
On 31 March 2015, Audrey admitted herself to hospital suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome. Leishman returned from preparations for the 2015 Masters Tournament to be with her. She was put in an induced coma, and toxic shock began to affect her organs. She was given a 5% chance of recovery. In mid-April, she had recovered enough to return home, and Leishman resumed the Tour in New Orleans. He and his wife created the Begin Again Foundation which aids families who need assistance with medical expenses.
Amateur wins 2001 Victorian Junior Masters, Victorian Boys Championship, South Australian Junior Masters. 2005 Lake Macquarie Amateur.
Professional wins (15) PGA Tour wins (6) Legend FedEx Cup playoff events (1)Other PGA Tour (5) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up124 Jun 2012Travelers Championship−14 (68-66-70-62=266)1 stroke Charley Hoffman, Bubba Watson219 Mar 2017Arnold Palmer Invitational−11 (71-66-71-69=277)1 stroke Charley Hoffman, Kevin Kisner317 Sep 2017BMW Championship−23 (62-64-68-67=261)5 strokes Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose414 Oct 2018CIMB Classic1−26 (68-62-67-65=262)5 strokes Bronson Burgoon, Emiliano Grillo, Chesson Hadley526 Jan 2020Farmers Insurance Open−15 (68-72-68-65=273)1 stroke Jon Rahm625 Apr 2021Zurich Classic of New Orleans(with Cameron Smith)−20 (63-72-63-70=268)Playoff Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel 1Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour
PGA Tour playoff record (1–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result12015The Open Championship Zach Johnson, Louis OosthuizenJohnson won four-hole aggregate playoff;Johnson: −1 (3-3-5-4=15),Oosthuizen: E (3-4-5-4=16),Leishman: +2 (5-4-5-4=18)22017CJ Cup Justin ThomasLost to birdie on second extra hole32021Zurich Classic of New Orleans(with Cameron Smith) Louis Oosthuizen and Charl SchwartzelWon with par on first extra hole
European Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up16 Dec 2015(2016 season)Nedbank Golf Challenge1−19 (68-68-66-67=269)6 strokes Henrik Stenson 1Co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour
European Tour playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult12015The Open Championship Zach Johnson, Louis OosthuizenJohnson won four-hole aggregate playoff;Johnson: −1 (3-3-5-4=15),Oosthuizen: E (3-4-5-4=16),Leishman: +2 (5-4-5-4=18)
PGA Tour of Australasia wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up114 Dec 2025Victorian PGA Championship−5 (71-67-68-76=282)1 stroke Josh Younger
Nationwide Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up112 Oct 2008WNB Golf Classic−21 (67-66-66-68=267)11 strokes Keoke Cotner
Korean Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunners-up121 May 2006SBS Jisan Resort Open−18 (61-69-70-70=270)10 strokes Kang Kyung-nam, Lee Seong-ho
Von Nida Tour wins (4) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up119 Mar 2006Toyota Southern Classic−20 (60-64-66=190)7 strokes Jens Nilsson215 Oct 2006North QLD X-Ray Services Cairns Classic−5 (78-68-70-67=283)1 stroke Michael Brennan325 Mar 2007Toyota Southern Classic (2)−11 (69-65-68-67=269)1 stroke Andrew Bonhomme43 Feb 2008NAB Victorian PGA Championship−19 (67-68-69-65=269)1 stroke Kurt Barnes, Cameron Percy
LIV Golf League wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner-up16 Apr 2025LIV Golf Miami−6 (71-71-68=210)1 stroke Charl Schwartzel
Results in major championships Results not in chronological order in 2020. Tournament 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Masters TournamentCUTT4CUTCUTT439U.S. OpenCUTT51CUTCUTT18T27T45The Open ChampionshipT60CUTCUTT5T2T53T660PGA ChampionshipT48T27T12T46CUTT60T13T71 Tournament2019202020212022202320242025Masters TournamentT49T13T5T30PGA ChampionshipCUTCUTCUTT34U.S. OpenT35CUT64T14T38The Open ChampionshipCUTNTCUTCUTT52
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 0 2 3 4 10 7PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 0 2 12 8U.S. Open 0 0 0 0 0 2 13 8The Open Championship 0 1 0 2 3 3 11 7Totals 0 1 0 4 6 11 46 30 Most consecutive cuts made – 12 (2016 U.S. Open – 2019 Masters) Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (six times)
Results in The Players Championship Tournament2010201120122013201420152016201720182019The Players ChampionshipCUTCUT45T8T23T24T64CUTT63CUT Tournament202020212022The Players ChampionshipCCUTCUT
CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place C = Cancelled after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Results in World Golf Championships Results not in chronological order before 2015. Tournament 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 202020212022ChampionshipT63T28T37T62T42T39Match PlayR64R16T51R16T52R16NT1T28T35InvitationalT453T3355T41T143T52T36Champions9T11T38NT1NT1NT1 1Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play NT = No tournament "T" = Tied Note that the Championship and Invitational were discontinued from 2022.
Team appearances Amateur Australian Men's Interstate Teams Matches (representing Victoria): 2003 (winners), 2004
Professional Presidents Cup (representing the International team): 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 World Cup (representing Australia): 2016, 2018
Recognition 2017 – Greg Norman Medal
See also 2008 Nationwide Tour graduates
References
External links
Marc Leishman player profile, Golf Australia