TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

June 27, 2021

Marc Leishman

TPC River Highlands

Quick Quotes

Q. Marc, making that run on the front nine there and early in the back. Kind of get some feelings of maybe another real low one and possibly posting a good number?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, definitely. The conditions were a bit tougher the last two days. Quite a bit of wind out there. You know, it was nice to get off to a good start. I knew that I needed to have a really low one to have a chance.

Probably think that birdie on 17, possibly 18, may have helped my chances a lot. Would've helped my chances a lot. That's pretty obvious.

Yeah, happy with the day. I mean, game is feeling really good. Nice to make a run and be around the lead. Not holding my breath, but I won't be going anywhere.

Q. You've referenced the runs you can make and the one in '12 that you made. What is it about this golf course and how much do you enjoy where there is so much volatility?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, I think it's just a really fun golf course, because if you hit good shots you can give yourself a lot of chances for birdies. But if you're just a little bit off it kicks your butt. You can make bogeys from nowhere it seem like. I think that's the great thing about it.

You can be six back like I was eight, nine years ago. And it's just a hard place to lead at because it's that sort of golf course where there is trouble everywhere.

Q. I think you saying to Jim yesterday that it's a golf course you feel like you can go really low every time you stand on the first tee. Does that put a little bit extra pressure for the leaders when they're not making birdies early, and maybe is that a reason why guys don't hold the lead after 54 holes here?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, I think you can have the lead after 54 holes, but generally by the time you tee off you're not leading. So that's kind of an interesting thing about this course. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 are all birdie holes, so if you get out two, three hours before the leaders you can get ahead of them early and put a little bit pressure on them, make them have to push.

I mean, I've been close to the lead here and have done exactly what nearly everyone else has and struggled, and every time I've seemed to have played well here I've come from behind. I guess you play a lot freer when you're behind. It's just, yeah, it's nice to be able to do that and have a little less pressure.

Q. One thing. On 18 there obviously you know 12 is not going to hold up. Were you forcing the issue to try to get close there?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, I'm not the kind of guy that's going to hit a sand wedge to the middle of the green and try and two-putt. Trying to make a 30-footer. I wanted to hit that close, possibly make it. Needed three more yards.

Yeah, I can live with myself a lot easier if I go for it than if I maybe play a shot -- a more conservative shot and not make birdie that way. I would rather do what I did. I would rather make birdie obviously.

Q. When you're in the bunker, any thoughts about what happened with Jordan Spieth?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, there was actually. I said to Matty, It's probably the most makable bunker shot I've had in five years. You know, if all I do is get it out of the bunker there was a little downslope and then back up to the hole, so I was thinking about making it.

Thought I had made it there for a little bit, but, yeah, definitely thought about Spieth there.

Q. It looked like it had a chance.

MARC LEISHMAN: It had a chance, yeah. I was just happy to hit a good shot. That's why we do all the practice, so when you have a chance to win a golf tournament or have to do that, you can pull the shots off.

It was enjoyable. I had a really fun day.

Q. Kids understand they have to wait around now?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, I'm actually going to Jamie Lovemark's charity day tomorrow, so they're going home, I'm going to New York. It'll be good. They're headed home tonight.

Q. In a weird way is it sort of strange to shoot 64 and to some degree feel a little bit unfulfilled? 64 is great score, but to come up short with it...

MARC LEISHMAN: A little bit. But also it was a tough day. One of our close friends passed away this morning. So, yeah, John Mascatello. Was definitely thinking about that and trying to -- it was kind of -- made things a little -- golf is obviously not the be all end all. Thinking of his family.

Not getting over the line or who knows, but probably not getting over the line, yeah, that's kind of irrelevant at the moment.