AFTER an up and down first round, a 'fuming' Marc Leishman is still in the hunt for glory at The Masters after day one on Friday morning.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But the 35-year-old will use the opening day's play, which included a three-putt on Augusta National's 18th hole, as motivation to drive his way back up the standings in the second round on Saturday.
"There's something about three-putting the last hole that always makes you walk off with a few fumes coming out where they shouldn't be," he said.
"When you're having doubles and three putts and a few average shots, it was hard.
"But even par is not the worst start in the world, it's not far back at all. It's just disappointing because I felt like I could have shot five or six under today."
The Warrnambool export hit the par-four 18th in two shots but a bogey prevented him from finishing the round under par.
Instead the world No.20 had to settle for a even-par 72 to sit tied for 29th six shots behind joint American leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
His round started with a bogey on the par-four first hole before fighting back with two birdies on the fifth and eighth holes to finish the front nine at one-under the card.
Leishman's back nine started horribly with a double-bogey on the par-four 10th before hitting two birdies on the 11th and 13th to bring his score back under par.
He would add one more bogey on the 14th before his fifth birdie on the 16th had him primed to finish under par before the final hole slip up.
The father-of-three, who is playing in his seventh Masters, knows he has done his chances no harm with his round of 72.
"My game's really good, I'm playing well," he said.
"Three back right now is nothing. Three back with nine to go (in the final round) is nothing, so with 54 holes to go I think I'm still a pretty good chance."
Fellow Australian Adam Scott is three-under to sit tied for sixth, while his counterparts Cameron Smith and Jason Day are further back on two-under to share 11th with eight other players including four-time winner Tiger Woods.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.
Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
