What they said: Marc Leishman

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SONY OPEN AT HAWAII: Transcript archive

MARK WILLIAMS: Marc Leishman, thanks for joining us here in the interview room at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Sounds like you've had spent a bit of time back there. I also understand you have some wedding plans to take care of this year early this year, I guess. Just talk us through some things that you did down under and what you are looking forward to this year as Rookie of the Year '09

MARC LEISHMAN: Well, I spent nine weeks at home which was good. 2008, I only spent about three or four weeks at home. It's good to get a bit of time back with the family.

I played the three events which was Masters, Open and PGA. I played average the first couple and then finished fourth in the last one, so it was good way to finish off the year.

I got a few things to take care of this year. The wedding, the Majors, a few other golf tournaments, quite a few others. It's going to be hopefully a good year and can make the most of the opportunities.

MARK WILLIAMS: Have you elevated your golf after your performance last year. Have you said to yourself, these are the things I'm going to try to achieve now?

MARC LEISHMAN: I think if I could just improve my game, that's the main thing. If I can do that, I can improve, and the results will take care of themselves. I had a very good year last year. I guess it was maybe went past my goals a little bit. (Inaudible.) I went past them a little bit. It was great. Hopefully I can do better this year and see how we go.

MARK WILLIAMS: Questions?

Q. Growing up in Melbourne, it's windy and some of the greatest golf courses in the world there. Do you think that gives you a little advantage when you came to a place like Hawaii where it will probably blow a little about bit over the week?

MARC LEISHMAN: I think growing up in the wind definitely helps when you do happen to play calm conditions, it does feel a little bit easier. But you can handle the tough conditions as well.

But I think the Australians might have a little bit of an advantage because we come from our summer. When I left it was 34 degrees celsius which is what 95ish? It's been like that for the last six weeks. I've been playing quite a bit of golf and spending a good time on the beach. It's been pretty relaxed. Good to get back into it.

Q. So the players that are coming from the mainland, they are going to be exhausted from the heat. This, for you, or anybody from and Australia it seems cool?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yes it was a little bit cooler I had to put a jumper on last night, or a sweater. It's different. It's just great to be here, in a setting like this, so you can enjoy yourself. Yes, it was different.

Q. Are there some specific instances at home in regards to your reception as Rookie of the Year that you could talk about maybe being honored in some way shape or form, or how did things change for you at home?

MARC LEISHMAN: There is a centerfold in the paper, in the newspaper at home that was a big centerfold of me, so that was really different. There was quite a bit of attention when I got back. People thought I already won it before the last event announced.

I had to keep explaining to people, no, it hasn't been announced yet. It's player vote and it doesn't get done until just before Christmas. So that was a bit repetitious explaining to everyone that I hadn't won it. But it was good that it turned out the way it did. I got a phone call from Rick George at 8:30 the morning that they announced it, so that was great to find out that I officially got it.

Q. What's the big paper at home?

MARC LEISHMAN: The Standard, just a local newspaper where I live.

Q. Giant photo spread?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yes, just photos. There was nothing really written. Maybe a quote that I said. Nothing out of ordinary. It's pretty low keep back there.

Q. How about your family, what was the reception like with them? Obviously you said you exceeded your own goals, what were they saying to you?

MARC LEISHMAN: You know what, they're obviously really happy for me. I was happy for them as well just to give something back to them. You always know that you can play that good. One year I knew I could do that, but I knew it was going to be hard my first year out on TOUR. It would have been a good year for me if I just kept my card, and to do what I did was great.

When I was getting myself in the positions to get into the BMW or get into THE TOUR Championship, I was thinking at the time I could do it. It was just a matter of having to do it.

At the start of the year, thinking to yourself, I am going to get into the TOUR Championship this year, it's a pretty hard goal. Look at the players you are playing against and where I come from. Never played on the TOUR before.

So I felt quite comfortable when I was actually in the position. But I guess looking at it from the outside, or looking back on the year, that's when you realize what an achievement it was.

Q. A generation older than you always stated that Greg Norman was a big motivating factor and somebody they wanted to duplicate. The same for you, or is it a Robin Allenby or Stuart Appleby?

MARC LEISHMAN: It's was great, Greg. Everybody in Australia looked up to Greg. I actually more looked up to Ernie Els. It's good to see him out on the putting green this week. This was my first TOUR events ever this time last year. So one of the first people I saw on the putting green on the range was Ernie.

So it's pretty unbelievable to say I'm out here with them and doing what I love do. It was good that Ernie actually came up to me at THE TOUR Championship and said congratulations on the last few weeks. That was pretty nice of him I thought.

Q. Had you played with him during the year last year?

MARC LEISHMAN: No, that was the first time I ever spoken to him or anything. That was pretty good.

Q. At the TOUR Championship?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yes, just on the chipping area of the TOUR Championship came up and said, well done. Congratulations for getting in.

Q. At this point you have been around a lot of TOUR players, what was that moment like for you?

MARC LEISHMAN: It was a big buzz actually. The week before I played with Tiger, that was the last round at the BMW. But when Ernie came up to me and sort of said that, it was great.

MARK WILLIAMS: Did you talk about cricket at all?

MARC LEISHMAN: No, not really, he was just walking passed. I know he loves cricket and so do I. It's going to be good.

MARK WILLIAMS: Let me ask you something, when you went back to Australia to play those three events, not so much from the Australian players that we know here on the PGA TOUR, but the Australian players that you played with down under, did they react differently or did you feel there was a different reaction from the season that you had last year?

MARC LEISHMAN: They all knew what I had been doing. They said congratulations and really happy for me. I also keep up with what they are doing as well on the internet and the web site. It's just good to you know get the recognition for a good year. It's hard to do, especially with the Rookie of the Year, to get that, it's a huge honor.

MARK WILLIAMS: You only get one shot at it?

MARC LEISHMAN: Exactly. It's not something I was aiming for at the start of the year. I was just trying to get my card for this year and then hopefully set myself up for this year, and I've done that. Probably the expectations are higher now than it would have been if I just kept my card. Especially playing in all of the Majors, it would be great to play in one or two of those and see how things go.

Q. When is the wedding and how is your game coming into this vents?

MARC LEISHMAN: Game is good, I've been playing very well, been playing in Warrnambool, where I grew up, doing a bit of practice, so things are coming along fairly well and the wedding is April 24th, so two weeks after the Masters.

Q. Where is the wedding? Who are you marrying and where are you honeymooning, a guy from Australia, it's got to be good?

MARC LEISHMAN: Virginia Beach is where the wedding is. That's where we both live. I'm marrying Audrey Hills. Honeymooning in Hawaii.

Q. Here, Maui?

MARC LEISHMAN: Not sure yet, we haven't decided.

Q. Is she here with you?

MARC LEISHMAN: No, she is not. She is back in Virginia working.

Q. You are lucky, she would be putting a lot of pressure on you to win so you could get back here next year?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yes, we will honeymoon here somewhere. I'm not sure exactly where. But definitely looking forward to it.

Q. Do you surf?

MARC LEISHMAN: Yes.

Q. What else?

MARC LEISHMAN: I love my cricket. I play a little bit of tennis.

Q. How big are the waves you surf, do you play around or are you serious?

MARC LEISHMAN: No, if it's taller than me, I'm not going out there.

Q. On your fiancee, Audrey, how did you two get together?

MARC LEISHMAN: We met when I was doing a qualifier for the Nationwide Tour a few years ago, just at a bar one night at Williamsburg, Virginia, where she went to college. She is from Virginia Beach and went to college at William and Mary.

MARK WILLIAMS: Thanks, mate. Good luck this week.