nsational opening 64 has given Australian Marc Leishman the outright lead in the $8 million World Golf Championship Bridgestone International at Firestone.
Leishman, 30, continues to surge in what is shaping as his breakout year on the tour. He made eight birdies and two bogeys on the par-70 Firestone Country Club course to lead by a shot from Englishman Justin Rose, South African Charl Schwartzel and American Ryan Moore.
Coming off a tie for fifth at the British Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, where he closed with a 65, Leishman has surged to a career-high 51st in the world golf rankings and is playing the best golf of his life.
Today he played the back nine first in 32 with three birdies, then at the fourth hole, his 13th of the day, he rolled in a birdie to tie the lead. A kick-in birdie at the sixth hole saw him climb to the outright lead, before a bogey from the right rough at the seventh, his 16th of the day. A birdie from two metres at the eighth gave him the outright lead again and then he tapped in for par at the ninth to sign for 64.
"I'm really happy with the start,'' he said afterward. "I drove the ball pretty good for the most part, and my irons and wedges were really good today. I gave myself a lot of make-able birdie putts and was able to make them.
"I've been playing pretty good for a while but I haven't been putting the numbers on the board. And I haven't really been doing it, or not to this extent. At Hoylake on Sunday it was a really good day. I think it's just the putting, hitting it a little closer and making putts. Hopefully I can keep doing it.''
World No. 1 Adam Scott began his week with a one-under-par 69, along with Queenslander Steven Bowditch, while Matt Jones had an even-par 70. Jason Day and John Senden both struggled to 74s.
Former world No. 1 Tiger Woods opened with a scrappy 68 to find a spot on the leaderboard.