Marc Leishman, resting up for his British Open assault. Getty Images/AFP
A WEARY Marc Leishman will use this week to recharge before jetting to the 141st British Open next Thursday at Royal Lytham and St Annes in England.
The 28-year-old Warrnambool professional yesterday officially won a spot in one of golf's four major tournaments after topping a mini money list calculated across the past six events on the US PGA Tour.
Leishman finished on top of the earnings thanks to his breakthrough win on the tour two weeks ago and according to the US PGA Tour, he was more than $US400,000 clear of his nearest rival.
His win in the Travelers Championship also ensured him a start in the year's final major, the US PGA at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Kiawah Island, in August.
This is the second time Leishman has earnt a start in the British Open, having finished tied for 60th in his maiden appearance in 2010 at St Andrews.
Leishman yesterday completed his third consecutive tournament in an exhausting three-week stretch that started with his win in the Travelers Championship.
Playing in a heatwave in the US, Leishman finished yesterday's Greenbrier Classic out of contention.
He has played six out of the past nine weeks and is looking forward to a rest before tackling the British Open.
There were fears Leishman would have been robbed of an Open start because he is in the midst of seeking permanent residency in the US where he lives with his American wife Audrey and their son.
Under American immigration rules, a person seeking permament residency can't leave the country until the application has been decided without prior consent. Leishman revealed he had been granted "advanced parole" which would allow him to make the flight to England for the Open in Lancashire.
He joins 13 other Australians, including Robert Allenby, Adam Baddeley, Greg Chalmers, Jason Day, Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy in the field at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
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