BMW Championship winner Leishman revels in first wire-to-wire victory
Marc Leishman said he felt "awesome" after cruising to a comprehensive win at the BMW Championship, having led from start to finish.
Leishman went wire-to-wire in Lake Forest, Illinois as he triumphed by five strokes at the third and penultimate FedEx Cup play-off event Sunday.
The Australian carded a four-under par 67 and carded three of his final four holes to hold off Justin Rose (65) and Rickie Fowler (67) at 23 under.
It was particularly satisfying for Leishman, who threatened to upstage FedEx Cup leader Jordan Spieth and eventual winner Justin Thomas at the Dell Technologies Championship before settling for third.
"I feel awesome about this. It's a long week when you lead every day. Takes energy out of you. I was pretty tired last night and didn't sleep very well," Leishman, who also won the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year, told reporters. "That five-shot lead – it's just enough that you shouldn't get beat but not quite enough that you are out of reach.
"Really happy, nice, especially with Rosie making a run at me late there on the back nine to hold him off. Ended up winning by five shots but really a lot closer than that."
One tournament.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 17, 2017
Two trophies.
Double the love.
pic.twitter.com/TSlAZhRqih
Leishman – whose total score of 261 surpassed Tiger Wood's 72-hole record (262) set in 2007 – added: "Going wire-to-wire, first time I've done that on a PGA TOUR event. Backing up, that back nine last week at the Dell and, you know, when the pressure got put on and on that back nine by Rosie I reacted with birdies.
"Didn't get too, I don't know, too worried, just tried to keep doing my own thing and give myself chances and managed to roll a couple in there at the end which was nice walking up the last there with a bit of a buffer.
"It's just nice to put four good rounds on the board and in a really big event and, like I said, backing up what happened last week was probably the most satisfying thing for me."
The win at Conway Farms Golf Club elevated Leishman into the top five in the FedEx Cup standings heading into next week's Tour Championship, which will be contested by a field of 30 players.
Leishman will head to East Lake fourth in the rankings, behind leader Spieth, Thomas and world number one Dustin Johnson, knowing victory would see him crowned FedEx Cup champion.
The perfect way to close it out.@marcleish saved his best roll for last. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/QDnjNTfVPF
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 17, 2017
"You come to every tournament to try and win it, especially after last week my game was in a good spot and I felt confident with my game," the 33-year-old said. "I had my sights set high for the FedEx Cup and trying to get into the top five and with these sitting here it's nice to have the trophies there and be in that five.
"If I have another good week next week, who knows what might happen."