
Australia's last Open Championships hope Marc Leishman eyes top-four finish as Scottie Scheffler unreachable
With an eve-of-final-round pint of Guinness and the alluring thought of doing something 'really, really silly' out on the Royal Portrush links, the 41-year-old Victorian reckons he still has plenty to play for in Sunday's finale.
Leishman kept the Aussie flag flying with a three-under 68 in benign conditions on the Dunluce links during Saturday's third-round 'moving day', happy to shoulder the load after all his eight compatriots failed to make the cut for the weekend.
He's tied for 22nd place, 10 shots adrift of unbackable leader Scottie Scheffler, with even Leishman accepting that being so far behind the world No.1 makes the idea of him winning the Jug a decade after he finished runner-up in a playoff at St Andrews seem wholly unfeasible.
But he's only six shots behind the best of the rest, Li Haotong, and has eyes on a top-four finish which would guarantee him a return to both next year's Masters, after a three-year absence, and a place at the 2026 Royal Birkdale Open.
'Obviously there's the carrot dangling to try to get into the top-four,' Leishman mused.
'Yes, you want to do something silly and try to go crazy low, but you also want to make sure you give yourself a chance to get into the other majors.
'Probably more so looking at that. I'm nine back at the moment, probably going to be more than 10 back at the end of the day the way he (Scheffler) is playing,' added Leishman when he finished, while the world No.1 was still strutting his stuff out on course.
'That will be too many shots, unless I do something really, really silly. He's probably going to get to 20-under! I'm not going to shoot 56.'
The LIV Golf star, in fine form after winning his maiden event on the Saudi-run circuit at Trump National Doral in Miami in April, smiled: 'Hopefully I can do something silly tomorrow and try to sneak into that top five or 10.'
He hasn't played in any of the last 10 majors since his move to LIV but still didn't feel the pressure of being the only Aussie on view.
'It's been a while, but something you can slide back into pretty easily. It's what we want to do, play majors, win majors. I've not been in them for a while, but happy to be back,' said the man who's enjoyed three top-10 finishes at the British Open.
On Saturday, starting at one under, he made a woeful 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 and then sank a 12-footer for another birdie at the fifth.
A delightful approach to four foot at the 11th provided further encouragement and though finding the fairway bunker at the long 12th led to a bogey six, he again 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.
'I felt really good today actually. If I'd played the par-fives better, I could have had a really low one, but played them at one-over. Hopefully I'll save it all for tomorrow.'
And the key ingredient for success? 'Yeah, probably another Guinness for sure,' smiled Leishman after a quick check of the watch.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Matildas superstar still can't get used to 'insane' cereal box moment
Matildas superstar Mackenzie Arnold is still coming to terms with seeing herself on a cereal box, but she hopes it's a sign that the times are a-changing for women in sport. Arnold has been selected as an "Aussie icon" ambassador for Milo and its new strawberry-flavoured cereal that the goalkeeper actually helped develop. Before she was a world-class goalkeeper, Arnold hadn't seen women in sport given such promotion, but with the onset of the "Matildas effect" following the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia, athletes like her hold influence like never before. Tickets to Matildas games are in demand, the players' own social media accounts have massive followings, contracts now attract higher salaries, and the sporting participation boom inspired by the Matildas in recent years - particularly for girls and women - is well-documented. So it makes sense brands would want to align themselves with top women athletes like Arnold, who is currently playing for US club, Portland Thorns FC. Still, from humble beginnings in the old W-League playing in front of small crowds, to selling out stadiums and becoming a hero to millions of Aussie kids, it's a bit of an adjustment for Arnold to see her face on products at the supermarket. "It's insane," she told The Canberra Times from Portland during a mid-season international break. "Growing up seeing other athletes on cereal boxes, you never really think that's going to be you, and now I get it to do it with Milo as well, which is something I always grew up on - it's pretty surreal to me. "I still don't look at myself as an Australian icon. "Opportunities like this just came after the World Cup, and I think it really showed us, and little girls and boys as well, what actually is possible now. "When I was a kid, I don't really remember women athletes on cereal boxes, so to be that person and hopefully inspire the younger generation after me is really special." Arnold has seen firsthand how the Matildas' march to the Women's World Cup semi-final two years ago was a turning point. "The world has really taken off with women's sport," she said. "You can see at the Euros that are playing at the moment, the amount of exposure they're getting and publicity - it's crazy to see, and I think it's only going to get bigger. "I would have loved to have been a young kid coming through at this stage, for sure. Still got a long way to go, but it's definitely heading in the right direction." In the Arnold household, as a child, the glovewoman used to have arguments with her brother over which flavour was best - chocolate or strawberry. She'd go for a strawberry milkshake and strawberry donut, while he'd go for the chocolate option. Decades later when Arnold was asked by Milo to taste-test the final strawberry flavour that would be used in its limited edition cereal, she was elated. "They sent me some samples and I chose which one I liked," she said. "I've actually given it to some of my teammates in Portland, and they obviously don't know much about Milo, but for them to enjoy it says a lot. "I'm hoping everyone else likes it in Australia as well." Last year, after a four-season stint in England with West Ham United, Arnold joined the Thorns in the USA's NWSL competition. However, injury setbacks have prevented her from playing consistently in the last 12 months. Having overcome triceps and calf injuries, Arnold is now healthy again and gearing up for the Women's Asian Cup in Australia in March. Under new coach Joe Montemurro, Arnold is aiming to lift the Matildas back to world-beating form after a "disappointing" Olympics campaign in Paris. "The Asian Cup is very important for us," she said. "It's another major tournament that we want to win, and then that takes us into the World Cup again the following year. So it's a big couple [of] years. "I've only had one camp with Joe, but from what I experienced, it's going to be a lot more intense. "He knows our Australian players a lot more, and our strengths. I think he's going to take advantage of that style of play we like, make it fast and intense, so we can really go after it. "The Olympics was quite disappointing for us, and we never wanted to finish the tournament like that, especially after the success that we had at the 2023 World Cup. "So we're looking to get back into form now, especially having Joe in. We know that we've got a consistent coach that's going to be there a while, we're going to buy into how he wants to play, and our first test will be the Asian Cup, so it'll be interesting." Arnold expects Australia to get behind the Matildas again when the Asian Cup rolls around, too, which will be a huge advantage for the squad. "You can see how much the home fans helped us at the World Cup and really got us over the line in some of those games that were close," she said. "So we're really excited to have another major tournament back home in front of our fans and hopefully we can do one better than we did at the World Cup and win that for them." Matildas superstar Mackenzie Arnold is still coming to terms with seeing herself on a cereal box, but she hopes it's a sign that the times are a-changing for women in sport. Arnold has been selected as an "Aussie icon" ambassador for Milo and its new strawberry-flavoured cereal that the goalkeeper actually helped develop. Before she was a world-class goalkeeper, Arnold hadn't seen women in sport given such promotion, but with the onset of the "Matildas effect" following the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia, athletes like her hold influence like never before. Tickets to Matildas games are in demand, the players' own social media accounts have massive followings, contracts now attract higher salaries, and the sporting participation boom inspired by the Matildas in recent years - particularly for girls and women - is well-documented. So it makes sense brands would want to align themselves with top women athletes like Arnold, who is currently playing for US club, Portland Thorns FC. Still, from humble beginnings in the old W-League playing in front of small crowds, to selling out stadiums and becoming a hero to millions of Aussie kids, it's a bit of an adjustment for Arnold to see her face on products at the supermarket. "It's insane," she told The Canberra Times from Portland during a mid-season international break. "Growing up seeing other athletes on cereal boxes, you never really think that's going to be you, and now I get it to do it with Milo as well, which is something I always grew up on - it's pretty surreal to me. "I still don't look at myself as an Australian icon. "Opportunities like this just came after the World Cup, and I think it really showed us, and little girls and boys as well, what actually is possible now. "When I was a kid, I don't really remember women athletes on cereal boxes, so to be that person and hopefully inspire the younger generation after me is really special." Arnold has seen firsthand how the Matildas' march to the Women's World Cup semi-final two years ago was a turning point. "The world has really taken off with women's sport," she said. "You can see at the Euros that are playing at the moment, the amount of exposure they're getting and publicity - it's crazy to see, and I think it's only going to get bigger. "I would have loved to have been a young kid coming through at this stage, for sure. Still got a long way to go, but it's definitely heading in the right direction." In the Arnold household, as a child, the glovewoman used to have arguments with her brother over which flavour was best - chocolate or strawberry. She'd go for a strawberry milkshake and strawberry donut, while he'd go for the chocolate option. Decades later when Arnold was asked by Milo to taste-test the final strawberry flavour that would be used in its limited edition cereal, she was elated. "They sent me some samples and I chose which one I liked," she said. "I've actually given it to some of my teammates in Portland, and they obviously don't know much about Milo, but for them to enjoy it says a lot. "I'm hoping everyone else likes it in Australia as well." Last year, after a four-season stint in England with West Ham United, Arnold joined the Thorns in the USA's NWSL competition. However, injury setbacks have prevented her from playing consistently in the last 12 months. Having overcome triceps and calf injuries, Arnold is now healthy again and gearing up for the Women's Asian Cup in Australia in March. Under new coach Joe Montemurro, Arnold is aiming to lift the Matildas back to world-beating form after a "disappointing" Olympics campaign in Paris. "The Asian Cup is very important for us," she said. "It's another major tournament that we want to win, and then that takes us into the World Cup again the following year. So it's a big couple [of] years. "I've only had one camp with Joe, but from what I experienced, it's going to be a lot more intense. "He knows our Australian players a lot more, and our strengths. I think he's going to take advantage of that style of play we like, make it fast and intense, so we can really go after it. "The Olympics was quite disappointing for us, and we never wanted to finish the tournament like that, especially after the success that we had at the 2023 World Cup. "So we're looking to get back into form now, especially having Joe in. We know that we've got a consistent coach that's going to be there a while, we're going to buy into how he wants to play, and our first test will be the Asian Cup, so it'll be interesting." Arnold expects Australia to get behind the Matildas again when the Asian Cup rolls around, too, which will be a huge advantage for the squad. "You can see how much the home fans helped us at the World Cup and really got us over the line in some of those games that were close," she said. "So we're really excited to have another major tournament back home in front of our fans and hopefully we can do one better than we did at the World Cup and win that for them." Matildas superstar Mackenzie Arnold is still coming to terms with seeing herself on a cereal box, but she hopes it's a sign that the times are a-changing for women in sport. Arnold has been selected as an "Aussie icon" ambassador for Milo and its new strawberry-flavoured cereal that the goalkeeper actually helped develop. Before she was a world-class goalkeeper, Arnold hadn't seen women in sport given such promotion, but with the onset of the "Matildas effect" following the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia, athletes like her hold influence like never before. Tickets to Matildas games are in demand, the players' own social media accounts have massive followings, contracts now attract higher salaries, and the sporting participation boom inspired by the Matildas in recent years - particularly for girls and women - is well-documented. So it makes sense brands would want to align themselves with top women athletes like Arnold, who is currently playing for US club, Portland Thorns FC. Still, from humble beginnings in the old W-League playing in front of small crowds, to selling out stadiums and becoming a hero to millions of Aussie kids, it's a bit of an adjustment for Arnold to see her face on products at the supermarket. "It's insane," she told The Canberra Times from Portland during a mid-season international break. "Growing up seeing other athletes on cereal boxes, you never really think that's going to be you, and now I get it to do it with Milo as well, which is something I always grew up on - it's pretty surreal to me. "I still don't look at myself as an Australian icon. "Opportunities like this just came after the World Cup, and I think it really showed us, and little girls and boys as well, what actually is possible now. "When I was a kid, I don't really remember women athletes on cereal boxes, so to be that person and hopefully inspire the younger generation after me is really special." Arnold has seen firsthand how the Matildas' march to the Women's World Cup semi-final two years ago was a turning point. "The world has really taken off with women's sport," she said. "You can see at the Euros that are playing at the moment, the amount of exposure they're getting and publicity - it's crazy to see, and I think it's only going to get bigger. "I would have loved to have been a young kid coming through at this stage, for sure. Still got a long way to go, but it's definitely heading in the right direction." In the Arnold household, as a child, the glovewoman used to have arguments with her brother over which flavour was best - chocolate or strawberry. She'd go for a strawberry milkshake and strawberry donut, while he'd go for the chocolate option. Decades later when Arnold was asked by Milo to taste-test the final strawberry flavour that would be used in its limited edition cereal, she was elated. "They sent me some samples and I chose which one I liked," she said. "I've actually given it to some of my teammates in Portland, and they obviously don't know much about Milo, but for them to enjoy it says a lot. "I'm hoping everyone else likes it in Australia as well." Last year, after a four-season stint in England with West Ham United, Arnold joined the Thorns in the USA's NWSL competition. However, injury setbacks have prevented her from playing consistently in the last 12 months. Having overcome triceps and calf injuries, Arnold is now healthy again and gearing up for the Women's Asian Cup in Australia in March. Under new coach Joe Montemurro, Arnold is aiming to lift the Matildas back to world-beating form after a "disappointing" Olympics campaign in Paris. "The Asian Cup is very important for us," she said. "It's another major tournament that we want to win, and then that takes us into the World Cup again the following year. So it's a big couple [of] years. "I've only had one camp with Joe, but from what I experienced, it's going to be a lot more intense. "He knows our Australian players a lot more, and our strengths. I think he's going to take advantage of that style of play we like, make it fast and intense, so we can really go after it. "The Olympics was quite disappointing for us, and we never wanted to finish the tournament like that, especially after the success that we had at the 2023 World Cup. "So we're looking to get back into form now, especially having Joe in. We know that we've got a consistent coach that's going to be there a while, we're going to buy into how he wants to play, and our first test will be the Asian Cup, so it'll be interesting." Arnold expects Australia to get behind the Matildas again when the Asian Cup rolls around, too, which will be a huge advantage for the squad. "You can see how much the home fans helped us at the World Cup and really got us over the line in some of those games that were close," she said. "So we're really excited to have another major tournament back home in front of our fans and hopefully we can do one better than we did at the World Cup and win that for them." Matildas superstar Mackenzie Arnold is still coming to terms with seeing herself on a cereal box, but she hopes it's a sign that the times are a-changing for women in sport. Arnold has been selected as an "Aussie icon" ambassador for Milo and its new strawberry-flavoured cereal that the goalkeeper actually helped develop. Before she was a world-class goalkeeper, Arnold hadn't seen women in sport given such promotion, but with the onset of the "Matildas effect" following the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia, athletes like her hold influence like never before. Tickets to Matildas games are in demand, the players' own social media accounts have massive followings, contracts now attract higher salaries, and the sporting participation boom inspired by the Matildas in recent years - particularly for girls and women - is well-documented. So it makes sense brands would want to align themselves with top women athletes like Arnold, who is currently playing for US club, Portland Thorns FC. Still, from humble beginnings in the old W-League playing in front of small crowds, to selling out stadiums and becoming a hero to millions of Aussie kids, it's a bit of an adjustment for Arnold to see her face on products at the supermarket. "It's insane," she told The Canberra Times from Portland during a mid-season international break. "Growing up seeing other athletes on cereal boxes, you never really think that's going to be you, and now I get it to do it with Milo as well, which is something I always grew up on - it's pretty surreal to me. "I still don't look at myself as an Australian icon. "Opportunities like this just came after the World Cup, and I think it really showed us, and little girls and boys as well, what actually is possible now. "When I was a kid, I don't really remember women athletes on cereal boxes, so to be that person and hopefully inspire the younger generation after me is really special." Arnold has seen firsthand how the Matildas' march to the Women's World Cup semi-final two years ago was a turning point. "The world has really taken off with women's sport," she said. "You can see at the Euros that are playing at the moment, the amount of exposure they're getting and publicity - it's crazy to see, and I think it's only going to get bigger. "I would have loved to have been a young kid coming through at this stage, for sure. Still got a long way to go, but it's definitely heading in the right direction." In the Arnold household, as a child, the glovewoman used to have arguments with her brother over which flavour was best - chocolate or strawberry. She'd go for a strawberry milkshake and strawberry donut, while he'd go for the chocolate option. Decades later when Arnold was asked by Milo to taste-test the final strawberry flavour that would be used in its limited edition cereal, she was elated. "They sent me some samples and I chose which one I liked," she said. "I've actually given it to some of my teammates in Portland, and they obviously don't know much about Milo, but for them to enjoy it says a lot. "I'm hoping everyone else likes it in Australia as well." Last year, after a four-season stint in England with West Ham United, Arnold joined the Thorns in the USA's NWSL competition. However, injury setbacks have prevented her from playing consistently in the last 12 months. Having overcome triceps and calf injuries, Arnold is now healthy again and gearing up for the Women's Asian Cup in Australia in March. Under new coach Joe Montemurro, Arnold is aiming to lift the Matildas back to world-beating form after a "disappointing" Olympics campaign in Paris. "The Asian Cup is very important for us," she said. "It's another major tournament that we want to win, and then that takes us into the World Cup again the following year. So it's a big couple [of] years. "I've only had one camp with Joe, but from what I experienced, it's going to be a lot more intense. "He knows our Australian players a lot more, and our strengths. I think he's going to take advantage of that style of play we like, make it fast and intense, so we can really go after it. "The Olympics was quite disappointing for us, and we never wanted to finish the tournament like that, especially after the success that we had at the 2023 World Cup. "So we're looking to get back into form now, especially having Joe in. We know that we've got a consistent coach that's going to be there a while, we're going to buy into how he wants to play, and our first test will be the Asian Cup, so it'll be interesting." Arnold expects Australia to get behind the Matildas again when the Asian Cup rolls around, too, which will be a huge advantage for the squad. "You can see how much the home fans helped us at the World Cup and really got us over the line in some of those games that were close," she said. "So we're really excited to have another major tournament back home in front of our fans and hopefully we can do one better than we did at the World Cup and win that for them."


Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Perth Now
Victoria's trash is now Commonwelth Games treasure
What Victoria trashed is now treasured as a raft of nations pitch to host the Commonwealth Games after Scotland's saviours. As Glasgow prepares to host from July 23 next year, the Games has moved from peril to prospects as seven countries bid to host, but not Australia. Two years ago, Victoria's government reneged on hosting the 2026 Games in a shock that still rankles. "Obviously, try not to look too much back into the past," Australia's team chef de mission Petria Thomas told AAP. "But that disappointment of the Victorian government cancelling the Games, it's not going to fade quickly ... particularly in the way it was done as well." Victoria gave no warning to Games officials before, in July 2023, announcing they'd scrapped hosting. For the next "tumultuous" year, as Thomas put it, the future of event first staged in 1930 was threatened before Glasgow saved the Games. "Incredibly grateful and fortunate that the Scottish have stepped up to the mark here," Thomas said. "It was obviously highly disappointing that the Victorian government pulled out and it left the Commonwealth sport movement in a very difficult position. "It's fantastic that the Games will be on in Glasgow. "Obviously a little bit of a different look to them this time with fewer sports which is a shame. "But it's the reality of the position that the Commonwealth sport movement was put in, unfortunately." Beyond Glasgow, five nations including Olympic 2036 hopeful India, Canada and Nigeria have tabled bids to host the centenary 2030 Games. New Zealand is among two bidders for the 2034 version. All will be keen observers of Glasgow's pared-down Games featuring 10 sports, nine less than in 2022 in Birmingham. Trusty sources of Australian medals such as hockey, rugby sevens and diving have been chopped. But crucially for Australia's ambitions, 82 per cent of the nation's medal events in Birmingham remain on the Glasgow program. "We don't set specific medal targets," Thomas said. "But we don't shy away from the fact that we would like to finish on top of the medal tally. "To be honest, our Australian public expect the Australian team do well. "We will be doing everything we can to help our athletes across as many sports as possible win as many medals, and preferably gold ones - that's nothing to shy away from." The Glasgow program will feature athletics, swimming, 3x3 basketball, track cycling, weightlifting, lawn bowls, artistic gymnastics, netball, boxing and judo. And Thomas expected almost all of Australia's big-name athletes to compete. Teenaged sprint sensation Gout Gout had initially been expected to prioritise the August 5-9 world junior titles in the United States, where he wants to emulate the incomparable Usain Bolt, who won the under-20 200m title back in 2002. But if the scheduling allows it, there is now every chance Gout could contest the Commonwealth 100m event in Glasgow, before jetting to the US for the 200m at the world juniors. "If you look at the past, Australians generally have wanted to compete at the Commonwealth Games because they know it's an amazing event and a special team to be a part of," Thomas said. "Of course we hope that all of our best athletes are there ... I am confident we will have our best athletes available." Four Glasgow venues will host sports and the Games won't be funded from the public purse. Victoria's government paid the Commonwealth Games Federation, since rebranded Commonwealth Sport, $380 million in compensation, with $200 million diverted to Glasgow.

The Australian
9 hours ago
- The Australian
LIV Golf confirms Adelaide return as Smith's ranking crisis deepens
Cameron Smith could be playing for much-needed ranking points when LIV returns to Adelaide in 2026, with a February date locked in for the second year after a timeslot shift in 2025 proved a monster success. More than 100,000 people attended The Grange this year after the tournament was moved from April and is so far the only confirmed schedule stop for the Saudi-backed tour. It could be too long to wait for Smith to feel some good Aussie vibes, however, with his 2025 in freefall after missing the cut at The Open at Royal Portrush. The 2022 Open champion became the only player to miss the cut in all four majors in 2025 after failing to reach the weekend and has now missed five major cuts in a row. Once No.2 in the world, Smith's ranking has dropped to 206, with questions being asked about the impact of his move to LIV, for which he was paid a reported $140m. Cameron Smith battled at The Open. Picture: AP Photo/Peter Morrison His LIV teammate and great friend, Marc Leishman, jumped more than 50 places after being the only Australian to make the cut in Northern Ireland. The appearances of the LIV stars at The Open came amid revelations officials had put in a second application for world ranking points in the hope their players could get more access to the majors. It could also help players like Smith put himself in the frame for a Presidents Cup return as well as help American and European players get back on to Ryder Cup teams. Smith conceded 2025 had been 'frustrating' without a LIV win, or a podium finish, but was adamant he had been putting in the work and his best was 'coming'. 'It's such a weird game sometimes,' he said. 'I feel like I've been playing really good and not really getting much out of my golf, which is quite the opposite to how I normally play golf, so it's been a really frustrating year. 'Everything feels good, particularly on the range, on the putting green and stuff like that. I just have struggled to take it to the course and I feel like it's coming out. 'I feel like I'm getting more confidence and committing to more shots and maybe hitting the shot that I don't necessarily feel comfortable with, but the right shot. 'So that's when I play my best and, yeah, it's coming.' Cam Smith draws a crowd in Adelaide (Photo by) Smith tasted success in Adelaide in 2024, taking the team title, which helped elevate the event. 'Adelaide has been our pinnacle event with LIV Golf for the past few years, and it's always special going home and having our Aussie crowd behind us – they've been great to us, he said. 'The event keeps getting better every year and we are so excited to know we'll be coming back for many years to come. We can't wait for this year's event in Adelaide, which I'm sure next year will be even bigger.' Read related topics: Adelaide