Australian Marc Leishman sets pace among star-studded field at Houston Open

After three weeks off, Aussie Marc Leishman hit the ground running in Houston and now the pack is chasing him.

Marc Leishman is the opening round leader at the Houston Open. Picture: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP

Six PGA Tour wins is a good career but Marc Leishman says there’s still some “missing parts” as he looks to capitalise on his share of the lead at the Houston Open.

The Australian opened with a five-under 65 to be part of a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard at the $10m event.

Playing his first event for three weeks in wet conditions at the Memorial Park layout, Leishman had six birdies and a single bogey on his card and was happy he was finally getting something out of all the hard work he’d been putting in.

“Probably for about six months I feel like I’ve been playing OK, just not getting anything out of it,” he said.

“It can be a crazy game, it can get you down and you can play really well and not have a good score and play mediocre golf and have a really good score.

“You have to try and not let that get to you. I think a fresh season, a new start was pretty good for me. Got me to knuckle down and just really focus and been playing some good golf.”

An opening 65 has @MarcLeish in the co-lead. pic.twitter.com/JOtwtxggGE

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 11, 2021

The world No 35, Leishman, who is only 38, said he was more than happy with everything he had achieved in his career, which has included four top-five finishes in majors.

But winning one of those is the itch he really has to scratch before he’s done.

“Yeah, happy. Six-time Tour winner, happy, but there’s still some missing parts in there,” he said.

“I’d love to win a major and hopefully I can just keep playing the way I’m playing and have the luck of the draw, rub of the green on those big weeks because you can set yourself for the majors but doesn’t mean you’re going to play well in them. I would like to do that.

“I feel like I’ve had a good career. I’m hoping I’ve still got plenty of years left in me.”

Fellow Aussie Adam Scott was three shots back after an opening 68, with Cameron Davis also in the mix after opening with a one-under 69.

Originally published as Australian Marc Leishman sets pace among star-studded field at Houston Open