Presidents Cup: Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer in epic fightback to give Internationals the momentum heading into final day
In one of the greatest fightbacks in Presidents Cup history, International pair Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer fought back from five holes down to claim a vital half point after making a pact to never say die. Recap all the action.
A never-say-die attitude and a pact between teammates to not lay down lifted Australian Marc Leishman to an epic fightback for the most valuable half-point he could have imagined.
Leishman, who landed a crucial putt on the 16th before a blistering approach shot on 18 to set up what felt like a victory to the Royal Melbourne crowd, said the pair had rallied together from “getting our butts kicked” to near glory.
“Me and Abe were talking when we were five down, and we said, ‘Let’s keep fighting and see what happens,’” Leishman said.
“That’s a good thing; neither of us say die. It would have been easy to, I guess, lay down today and take it easy, but we’re not like that.
“We’re fighters.”After a dismal first 10 holes that saw the Americans sink two birdies and win five holes, Leishman said the prospect of clawing back the result had not seemed realistic until the pair walked to the 17th tee, two shots down with two holes to play.
The 36-year-old said the tie had felt like “a lot more than a half point”.
He said team captain Ernie Els came to him on the 12th hole and told him “get as far as you can”, but Leishman was adamant to “not talk about losing yet … we’re going to fight this out”.
“That’s probably as good as I’ve felt on a golf course, and I only halved the match,” he said.
“We’ve all won up here. We’ve won tournaments, but we don’t get chances to play with a teammate very often.
“To be successful with a teammate would be pretty cool.
“We had a taste of that today, but I think if we can play well and do our jobs tomorrow, what we felt today is going to probably be pushed aside for what we may feel tomorrow. So it ranks pretty high for me.”
Leishman has never lost in Presidents Cup singles, notching two wins and a half in his previous three outings.
But he said that record would count for little today.
“I’ve had a good run in the singles in my three Presidents Cups previous, but that means nothing now,” he said.
“We’ve got a lead and it’s definitely going to matter (today).
“I’ve got to draw on those experiences and draw on the tournaments I’ve played well in, pull some energy from this crowd, and hope I play well and make some birdies.”
Leishman said the result — which was matched by teammates Byeong Hun An and Joaquin Niemann, who tied with Matt Kuchar and Tony Finau in the final match of the day — would prove a “big momentum-gainer” for the International outfit after a day that had looked like panning out very differently.
But to turn the tables had lifted the spirits of a team he said was now full of belief.
“It looks like we’re going to have a lead going into Sunday. We haven’t done that for a long time,” he said.
“Hopefully we can bring this energy, play some good golf, get the crowds into it, do what we need and get six more points.
“It would be nice.”
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Originally published as Presidents Cup: Marc Leishman and Abraham Ancer in epic fightback to give Internationals the momentum heading into final day