Leishman still flies flag proudly at Aussies' poor Open
The 41-year-old Victorian was surprised to be the only one of the nine Australians in the field to have survived to the weekend and he made the most of that responsibility on Saturday to record five birdies during a third round that, temporarily at least, pushed him into the top-20.
It was a tremendous effort from the veteran who's had a fine year on the LIV Golf tour, winning his maiden event on the Saudi-run circuit at Trump National Doral in Miami in April.
Leishman had been the only only Australian to get under par all week after his early-morning 68 made up for his tortuous opening-day 73, when he had been left hugely frustrated by the pace of play.
Things were moving rather more quickly for him on Saturday afternoon as he knew that, starting at one under, he would have to enjoy a truly special round to drag himself into contention for the prize that he nearly won 10 years ago when finishing runner-up after a play-off at St Andrews.
Leishman, who's enjoyed three top-10 finishes, made the worst possible start when three putts from 40ft at the first led to an immediate bogey, but he responded swiftly with a brilliant tee shot to within two foot of the pin at the short third hole and then sank a 12-footer for another birdie at the fifth.
Some accomplished scrambling enabled him to get to the turn at one-under for the round, and a delightful approach to four foot at the 11th provided further encouragement.
Finding the fairway bunker at the long 12th led to a bogey six, but again he bounced back, this time in spectacular fashion at the short 13th when he holed a 34ft birdie putt.
His third birdie two of the round came at the 16th when he holed from the fringe of the green.
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