Leishman ready to tackle PGA Harbour Town

After a disappointing Masters campaign, Marc Leishman is ready to turn around an unhappy hunting ground at the US PGA Tour event at Harbour Town Golf Links.

Australian golfer Marc Leishman

Marc Leishman is hungry to continue his career-best form at the Harbour Town Golf Links this week. (AAP)

Marc Leishman is hungry to bounce back from a jagged Masters campaign and continue his career-best form at the Harbour Town Golf Links this week.

Without a round in the 60s, the 33-year-old Australian never threatened the leaderboard at Augusta National last week.

The Victorian finished in a share of 43rd place, 17 shots back of the playoff in which Sergio Garcia triumphed over Justin Rose to secure his first major championship win.

The lacklustre Masters result was a shock to Leishman, who entered the year's first major as the most in-form Aussie following his victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and seven top-25 finishes from eight events in 2017.

But the Warrnambool native is getting straight back on the horse, teeing it up at the US PGA Tour's RBC Heritage tournament in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

"I'm hoping to bounce back. The Masters is tough; if you're not right on your game you're not going to contend and that was the case for me," said Leishman.

"I didn't know I was in the Masters until I won and although that's a good problem to have, I didn't have quite the time to prepare that I would've liked for Augusta."

Confident he's in career-best form, Leishman is confident of overcoming an unhappy hunting ground at the iconic, seaside Harbour Town course.

The Warrnambool product's seven appearances at Hilton Head have yielded just one top-10 finish.

"I'm definitely driving it the best I have ever and I haven't putted as well as this before and that's a great combination. I feel I can get back in the mix this week," said Leishman.

"The fairways at Harbour Town are really narrow and you need to shape virtually every shot if you want to get at pins.

"It's usually windy as well ,and that suits me as I had to do that growing up in Warrnambool."

Also teeing it up at the RBC Heritage is fellow Australian Aaron Baddeley, who boasts an enviable record at Harbour Town with a victory in 2006 - his first title on Tour - and a runner-up in 2008.

The 36-year-old Victorian has set his sights on beating his top-10 finish at the 2016 event.

"I have some really great results here and it makes me so comfortable teeing it up each year," said Baddeley.

"Growing up, I was always one who liked to curve the ball both ways and you need that at Harbour Town. The greens are really small, so you also need a great short game.

"I had a good week's practice after hitting the ball beautifully at the Shell Houston Open two weeks ago."

Joining the Australian contingent is 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, Rod Pampling, John Senden, Steven Bowditch Greg Chalmers and Cameron Smith.

Also in the field is American Charley Hoffman, who led the first two rounds of the Masters, as well as four-time major winner Ernie Els, 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett and 2010 US Open winner Graeme McDowell.


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Source: AAP



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