MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 11, 2021

Marc Leishman

Quick Quotes

Q. You were the best in the field prior to today on those first six, but today when you needed to make a run, you just couldn't get going?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, disappointing start. It was tough early. I hit a good tee shot off 1 and just pulled my second. Then a couple of good shots into 3, made bogey. A couple of good shots into 7, made bogey. It was just, yeah, a little bit frustrating. But this place can do it to you. It's hard. It's hard when the wind is swirling and it's firm. That's the cool thing about this golf course when it's in these conditions. A little bit of wind can make it really tough, as the scores show.

Q. You obviously had to keep battling because you know at any stage something big can happen behind you, it has in the past. How hard is it to keep your mind at your absolute best today?

MARC LEISHMAN: It's not really hard, I don't think. I'm never one to give up. There's a lot to play for. I'm not very high up in the FedExCup this year, those points, obviously a lot of money to play for, pride, and like you said, you never know what could happen.

If I'd have got the putter hot there late, I could have made a little bit of a run, but just didn't quite drive it well enough today. Yeah, still a good tournament.

Q. It's another top 5 at least. You've got to be pleased with your record here. Every time you come here you know you've got a chance?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, definitely. I think I'm in all of them already anyway, but yeah, top 4s, top 5s in majors are good. You know, it's just nice to play well. Felt really good out there. My game felt as good as it has for a long time, and I'm excited for the rest of the year now.

Q. You talked about getting yourself -- the juices flowing and whatnot.

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, for sure. I know what I've got to do now. I know what to put my finger on. It only took me a year (laughing).

Yeah, I think I've worked it out, which is nice. It's a good feeling.

Q. Yesterday you spoke about all the things you'd learnt from being in these positions. Was there anything specific from today? I know it's early, but --

MARC LEISHMAN: I mean, I was a little bit tentative on the putts. The speed was just a little bit off. Not quite hitting them hard enough. But I feel comfortable in those positions, which is good. I love being out in that position, and yeah, there's always something to learn. I know what I've got to work on. It's nice to get the juices flowing and get that hunger back.

Q. How do you feel about your final round Sunday here at Augusta?

MARC LEISHMAN: I mean, it was a little disappointing. I think I shot 1-over total. Needed to get off to a good start and just didn't. Yeah, a little bit disappointed, but it's nice to be playing well again, and to be in the hunt at a major is pretty exciting.

Q. You said if your putter got hot, you might be able to give yourself a chance, but you couldn't really get any momentum in that front nine, could you?

MARC LEISHMAN: No, it didn't get hot. I wasn't hitting it close enough to the hole, and then just made a couple of, I'll call them, soft bogeys on 3 and 7. Had wedges into both those holes. If I par those two, it's probably a different story. So just little things here and there. But pretty happy all up. It was tough out there today. It's not like it was easy by any means. Certainly Hideki gets over the line, which it looks like he's going to, he deserves it.

Q. You like to watch the leaderboard, and with Hideki so far in front, were you watching it more than usual, considering anything can happen on the back nine at Augusta?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, I always watch it. He was a long way ahead, but I was still fighting. There was still a lot to play for aside from the win. Like I said, you never know what might happen.

Yeah, I was watching it like I always do, but just couldn't get my putter hot, which I needed to do.

Q. Talk us through your tee shot on 16 because you nearly aced it. Did you think it was going in?

MARC LEISHMAN: I didn't think it got far enough up the hill to get back to the hole. It turned out I was right. But it was nice to have a tap-in birdie there. It's just a fun pin placement, especially when the greens are firm. There's a lot of ways to make it there, and I thought I had a chance.

Q. What do you know about Hideki and what can you share with the Australian audience about him?

MARC LEISHMAN: He's a great player. He's a great guy. I've been on all the Presidents Cup teams that I've played with him. I've come to know him pretty well. This was -- I won't say inevitable, but he's an awesome player, and it certainly doesn't surprise me that he's won here.