Marc Leishman voted south-west's greatest sportsperson by The Standard readers

The 36-year-old, who honed his craft at Warrnambool Golf Club before jetting off to compete professionally in the United States, secured an overwhelming 22.2 per cent of the vote.

Leishman has managed career victories at the Travelers Championship, the Farmers Insurance Open, the BMW Championship, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the CIMB Classic to net more than $30 million in prizemoney.

Leishman, a father-of-three, held off Olympic silver medallist Michelle Ferris, three-time AFL premiership player Jonathan Brown and legendary horseman Bill Roycroft for the crown.

Readers suggested Leishman's ability to consistently perform on the international stage was behind his stature as the region's best.

"(He has) performed and is continuing to perform on the world stage," one respondent said.

"He has $30 million dollars career earnings, the 40th of all time (on the PGA Tour).

"He's Australia's number one golfer at the moment. He made the PGA Tour with out playing collegiate golf. Enough said."

Others suggested Leishman's down-to-earth persona was reason enough.

"His international ranking says it all, plus he is a great guy and ambassador for Warrnambool," a reader said.

Another respondent said Leishman's personality "hadn't changed since he was a child".

Ferris, who clinched silver medals at both the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics in track cycling, secured 7.78 per cent of the vote.

Readers praised Ferris' work rate in their responses.

"She advocated for women in cycling through her strength and determination," one said.

"She's now coaching the next generation of cyclists."

Three-time Brisbane Lions premiership player Jonathan Brown, who returned to the region as Hampden interleague coach in 2017, was third overall.

Brown, also a two-time All Australian and five-time Lions leading goalkicker, was favoured due to his community involvement.

"He had a great career but has also given back to the local football that made him," one respondent said.

"He's down to earth - great achievements - and loves where he started back then and still now. True to himself.

He had the ultimate success in a team sport and has given so much back as coach of the Hampden league."

Horseman Bill Roycroft, who lived on a dairy farm near Camperdown, medalled at three Olympic Games and was fourth overall in the survey standings.

Roycroft won gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics and secured bronze at the 1968 Mexico City and 1976 Montreal games and competed at the 1964 Tokyo and 1972 Munich events.

At the 1976 Olympics, Roycroft became Australia's oldest competitor at 61.

Readers said Roycroft's resilience and longevity were among his greatest traits.

Sprintcar icon Max Dumesny and star cyclist Clyde Sefton also featured prominently.

Dumesny became the first south-west-linked driver to win the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic in 1992 and went on to win the prestigious race again in 1994 and 2004.

Brownlow medallist Paul Couch, who played 259 games with Geelong, also featured heavily.

Couch, who died in 2016 while cycling with friends in Apollo Bay, was remembered for his football brain and strong work ethic.

Jockeys Clare Lindop and Neville 'Nifty' Wilson received mentions, while Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron, Paralympic champion rower Kathryn Ross, Brisbane Bullets basketballer Nathan Sobey and Australian cricketer Georgia Wareham featured.

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