2014 Bridgestone Invitational: Marc Leishman Leads After First Round At Firestone

Marc Leishman came into the week in good form, however it was a change in mindset that prepared him for his second start in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

“I’ve always been really hard on myself,” Leishman said. “I feel like I’m working that stuff out. Things are really good off the course, two great kids and a great wife and the rest of my family, and everything’s going good, so there’s no real reason to kind of not be happy.”

Leishman shot his first ever sub-par round at Firestone Country Club with a 6-under par 64 to lead by one shot over Ryan Moore, Justin Rose and Charl Schwartzel.

Leishman’s round started with a birdie on the 10th hole and additional birdies on holes 13, 16 and 17. A bogey on hole 18 finished his front nine. Leishman posted an identical score on his last nine with birdies on holes 2, 4, 6 and 8 while recording bogey on hole 7. His eight birdies led the field for round one.

The Australian is making his first start since tying for fifth at the Open Championship and now owns a first-round lead for the second time in his career.

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“I drove the ball well,” said Leishman. “It makes this course a lot easier when you’re on the fairway. It’s pretty tough when you’re playing from the rough. Then I hit my irons really well and was rolling the ball awesome. So it’s a pretty good combination for a tough golf course like this, something I can hopefully keep going.”

Moore’s round included chip-ins on the fifth and eighth holes en route to his bogey-free round. His score should not be much of a surprise since he is second on the PGA TOUR in first-round scoring average.

“I came up just a little short and just had a really nice kind of straightforward chip there,” Moore said. “It was one of those ones it was in all the way. Then I chipped in on 8, and it might have been the easiest chip I’ve had in my career. It was just one of those ones that I wasn’t necessarily thinking, yeah, I’m going to chip this in, but there was a pretty good chance of making that one, and I did.”

Schwartzel’s high point of the round were the birdies he recorded on holes 4-7. Schwartzel tied for seventh place at the Open and played early in the round, dealing with the wettest course conditions. Rose meanwhile chipped in for par on the third hole and told the media afterwards that he was pleased with his round, feeling as though he got the most he could out of it.

Tiger Woods started his round three-putting from eight feet and then hit his drive on the second hole wide left but recovered to post 2-under par despite a double bogey on the ninth hole. Phil Mickelson struggled with his consistency and – after recovering from strep throat – posted 1-over par. Rory McIlroy was 2-under par for most of the round before a hiccup on the eighth hole. He would finish at 1-under par.

The second round will begin at 9:10 Friday, and Leishman will be the first player to tee off on the first hole. There is no cut in this event.

Notebook: Dustin Johnson withdrew from the Bridgestone Invitational earlier in the week and now has taken an indefinite leave of absence. He already said he will not be playing in the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup, meaning his season is over.

“I am taking a leave of absence from professional golf, effective immediately,” Johnson said in a written statement. “I will use this time to seek professional help for personal challenges I have faced. By committing the time and resources necessary to improve my mental health, physical well-being and emotional foundation, I am confident that I will be better equipped to fulfill my potential and become a consistent champion.”

The PGA Tour did not comment any further on this.

Earlier in the week, Rory McIlroy was against Bernhard Langer being a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup citing team dynamic and an age difference. Metro UK was able to get an exclusive interview with Martin Kaymer to ask his opinion on where his fellow German should play at Gleneagles.

“I hope Paul [McGinley] gets him in,” said Kaymer. “I think he should be on the team – he’s playing some of the best golf of his career. He doesn’t need to play all four rounds.”

Of note: There were three bogey-free rounds: Moore and Rose each shot 65, Graham DeLaet two strokes behind with a 3-under par 67.

He said it: “Yeah, you have to follow me more often then.” – Sergio Garcia to a reporter after the reporter stated every time they follow Garcia, he has a good round.