New venue, same old good results for Marc Leishman at the AT&T Byron Nelson Championship.
Leishman was a big fan of previous host TPC Four Seasons, which held the Dallas event for 35 years. In nine starts at Las Colinas, he recorded six top-15 finishes, including a couple of third-place ties.
But with the US PGA Tour moving the event to rookie host Trinity Forest, Leishman took to the new venue like a duck to water. He fired a 10-under 61,during which he found all 14 fairways, 17 of 18 greens in regulation to take a three-shot lead after the first round.
It was the Warrnambool native’s lowest score in 797 career rounds on the US PGA Tour which becomes the course record.
“I would’ve been this place’s harshest critic just because I love that other place at Las Colinas,” Leishman said. “But I got here and looked out past the clubhouse and thought, ‘This is going to be really good.’
“I enjoyed it today.”
Even Jordan Spieth, who uses Trinity Forest as a training base with Australian coach Cameron McCormick, was in awe of Leishman’s round
“So, not surprised to see a low round,” Spieth said. “10 under is an incredible round anyway for Marc. Not surprised to see low scores. Wish I got more out of it, honestly.”
A recent equipment change may have helped Leishman.
at last week’s Players Championship, Leishman put a trio of new Callaway Mack Daddy 4 wedges in the bag. Leishman had a 48- and 54-degree model in the S grind, which is a versatile grind with 10 degrees bounce and slight trailing edge and heel relief.
His 58-degree lob wedge had the X grind, which has 12 degrees bounce with more heel and toe relief along with a flat centre section and a straight leading edge.
Leishman, who finished tied for 36th at TPC Sawgrass, was 14 of 25 in scrambling for a 56 percent conversion rate, slightly better than the field average of 53 percent.
