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Marc Leishman battled tough circumstances to card a 2-over 73 throughout his first spherical at The Open Championship in three years, however he admitted frustration with the pace-of-play at Royal Portrush on Thursday.

The Australian additionally made a thinly-veiled reference to the faster rounds he commonly performs throughout LIV Golf’s three-day occasions.

“Felt like we had been on the golf course for about 12 hours,” Leishman informed reporters after his spherical. “We have been on the course for 3 hours via eight holes. That was powerful to cope with, particularly coming from someplace the place we play in beneath 4 1/2 each week.

Leishman ought to have extra management over the size of his spherical on Friday, when he tees off within the first group of the day together with Stewart Cink and Italy’s Matteo Manassero. Leishman could have one eye on the reduce line on Friday as he additionally tries to shut the hole between himself and the leaders.

His card on Thursday included three birdies towards 5 bogeys, together with a three-putt bogey on the 18th gap.

“You bought to cope with all that type of stuff, and I felt like I handled it decently effectively. Simply obtained a bit annoyed there,” he stated. “I believed I used to be enjoying actually good and never getting something out of it, however the circumstances had been powerful. Hopefully simply get one going within the morning.”

That is Leishman’s first journey to The Open since 2022, having certified for his twelfth look on the Australian PGA Championship in December. Whereas he has a finest end on the occasion of a T5 at Royal Liverpool in 2014, Leishman has missed the reduce in every of his previous three appearances on the occasion — a streak that started at Royal Portrush in 2019.

“Sadly, pissed off at that on the final. That is golf,” he stated. “Attempt to combat again tomorrow.”

–Subject Stage Media