With a stunning 10-shot turnaround, Marc Leishman launched up the LIV Golf Andalucia leaderboard with a stunning second round on Saturday – providing a ray of hope of reeling in runaway leader Anirban Lahiri.
The 40-year-old Leishman was the best of the Australians – his four teammates – on day two at the brutal Valderrama course with a five-under-par 66 bringing him back to even par following an opening-round 76.
Lahiri, from India, matched Leishman’s 66 to improve to seven-under on the narrow, tree-lined Valderrama course in southern Spain. He topped the leaderboard and led New Zealand’s Danny Lee (three-under) by four shots, with Spanish hope Eugenio Chacarra (two-under) by five shots. Two-time major winner, Martin Kaymer and Tyrrell Hatton were also two-under while US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau was among a group of players at one-under.
“Putting bailed me out big time today. Didn’t help to chip like a 15 handicap. Valderrama makes you look like that. It’s so hard to chip out here, whether you’re on the fairways or the roughs. It takes a lot of skill. In fact, I need to go and hit some chips now,” Lahiri said.
The putter was hot for Leishman as he navigated the notoriously thick rough and small, fast greens at Valderrama to earn six birdies and a lone bogey. Leishman, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, is searching for his first LIV victory.
Leishman’s teammate, 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith, carded an even-par 71 to remain at one-over, one shot back of his good mate. Lucas Herbert shot a second consecutive 75 to drop to eight-over, while Matt Jones also had a 10-shot turnaround. He followed his opening 81 with a 71 on Saturday’s second round to remain 10-over.