The “secretive” nature of Masters invites means LIV weapons Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert aren’t locking in a begin at Augusta ought to they win the Australian Open after final 12 months’s winner Joaquin Niemann had the door open to him.
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However the three spots on provide on the British Open loom massive for each, with Leishman declaring he gained’t be ”chasing” world rankings factors to get again into the majors, including additional motivation, “if we’d like any”, to seize the flagship occasion.
Augusta chairman Fred Ridley known as the Australian Open one of many “nice, nice championships on the earth” as he defined Niemann’s invitation, elevating hope this 12 months’s victor may earn the identical welcome.
But it surely’s an occasion the Australian duo conceded had develop into tougher and tougher to win as extra expertise emerged, highlighted by 22-year-old Elvis Smylie’s PGA Championship win, holding off Cam Smith and Leishman final weekend.
“I feel these three Open spots are large. Positively a giant drawcard for this occasion,” Leishman, who has three top-10s at each the British Open and the Masters however hasn’t performed a significant since 2022 after his transfer to LIV, stated on Tuesday.
“All of us wish to be taking part in the majors, however definitely it’s additional motivation to play effectively this week if we’d like any. The (British) Open championship spots, they’ve just a few occasions which have it and if it really works in, I’ll positively have a look at taking part in these.
“However so far as world rankings and chasing these for me, I’m not going to try this.”
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Herbert, who performed the Masters as soon as, in 2022, amongst his 15 main championship appearances, wished golf to get again to a panorama the place “one thing interprets a bit extra straight” for LIV gamers who don’t have current exemptions.
“It’s difficult. Augusta’s all the time fairly secretive about how they provide away their invitations if you happen to’re exterior the highest 50 on the earth and don’t kind of match into the final standards,” he stated.
“So Jaoco (Niemann) final 12 months, it’s clearly a fantastic deal with and if one in all us was to win this week and we received the invite to play the Masters, it’d be very, very cool.
“I’d like to get again right into a panorama of golf the place one thing interprets a bit extra straight for us taking part in clearly on the market on LIV.
“Main exemptions are actually vital. It’s a giant focus of ours and I feel you in all probability see just a few extra guys from LIV popping out to play these occasions, or play the Aussie Open anyway, in years to come back with these on the desk.”
After ending third on the PGA final week, after an eight-week break, Leishman looms as a significant determine at Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Golf equipment this week, suggesting the softer circumstances, after early-week rain, and classes learnt from shut putts at Royal Queensland, give him confidence of breaking that duck on residence soil.
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“It’s arduous to win and once you need one thing so unhealthy it makes it even tougher once more,” he stated.
“So possibly somewhat totally different mindset for me this week, try to go on the market and have extra enjoyable, play a bit extra aggressive like we do throughout the 12 months in LIV.
“The three-round occasions form of lend themselves to a bit extra aggressive play as a result of you must get off to a great begin and fewer rounds to get work performed, however I wish to try to do this this week.
“It’s wanting like they’re (the greens) going to be somewhat softer than what we’re in all probability used to taking part in. I feel it’s possibly somewhat bit extra American model of golf this week and try to play that model of golf.”