**Marc Leishman Frustrated by Slow Play at The Open, Praises LIV Golf’s Pace**
Australian golfer Marc Leishman voiced his frustration with slow play during the 153rd Open Championship held at Royal Portrush. After finishing his opening round with a score of 2-over-par 73, Leishman expressed disappointment with how long the round took, especially compared to the faster pace of LIV Golf events.
Leishman, who qualified for his 12th Open appearance after a third-place finish at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in December, is making only his second Major appearance this season, having missed both the Masters and the PGA Championship. His best result at The Open came in 2015 at St. Andrews, where he finished as joint runner-up. At Royal Portrush in 2022, he had missed the cut.
“Felt like we were on the course golf course for about 12 hours.”
Marc Leishman was frustrated by slow play at the Open, saying it’s difficult to adjust when he’s used to the quicker rounds on LIV. pic.twitter.com/spF6LhBztL
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) July 17, 2025
Following his first round, Leishman spoke candidly about the delays during play:
> “Felt like we were on the golf course for about 12 hours. We’ve been on the course for three hours through eight holes. That was tough to deal with, especially coming from somewhere where we play in under four and a half every week.”
He acknowledged the mental challenge of maintaining focus during long waits and added that the conditions themselves were already difficult to navigate. Still, he believed he managed his frustration well:
> “You’ve got to deal with all that sort of stuff and I felt like I dealt with it decently well. Just got a little frustrated there when I felt like I was playing pretty good and not getting anything out of it. But the conditions were tough. Hopefully, I get a good one going in the morning.”
After his first round, Leishman stood in a tie for 76th place. He had a steady start to the round but recorded three bogeys and one birdie on the front nine. On the back nine, he added two birdies and two more bogeys, finishing with a 73.
Looking at his history in The Open Championship, Leishman has participated in 11 editions since his debut in 2010. He has made the cut in six of those appearances. He missed the cut in 2012, 2013, 2019, 2021, and 2022.
His first Open result was a T60 at St. Andrews in 2010. In 2014, he finished tied for fifth at Royal Liverpool. The following year at St. Andrews, he shared the runner-up position with Louis Oosthuizen after a strong showing. He later tied for 53rd at Royal Troon in 2016 and placed T6 in 2017 at Royal Birkdale after briefly being in title contention. His most recent made cut at the Open was a solo 60th finish in 2018 at Carnoustie.
Leishman’s comments about slow play bring renewed attention to ongoing concerns about round times in major tournaments. His appreciation for the faster pace of play on the LIV Golf circuit highlights the contrast between traditional tours and the newer format, which has been designed to move more quickly and efficiently.