Leishman looks to Masters after WGC exit

Mar 25, 2017 - 10:11 PM Marc Leishman believes the silver lining to an elimination from the World Golf Championships-Match Play is an extra day's rest before his storybook return to the Masters.

With Leishman's arrival at Augusta only eight days away, the 33-year-old Australian was sent packing from the WGC event at Austin Country Club courtesy of a 4 and 3 defeat to five-time major winner Phil Mickelson in their final-16 match on Saturday.

"Obviously it's very disappointing not to win, but when your opponent gets off to a start like and you're five holes down after 10, it's so hard to beat, " Leishman told AAP.

The in-form 46-year-old Mickelson, who swept aside his three pool opponents with easy victories, took the lead over Victorian Leishman on the fourth hole and never looked back.

"Marc is playing some really great golf right now; he just won Bay Hill and I knew it was going to be a tough match. Fortunately, I played some of my best golf this week this match," said Mickelson.

Leishman now turns his attention to the year's first major, starting April 6, after grabbing one of the last available spots with his first US PGA Tour victory in five years at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida.

The win was extra special for Leishman as children Harvey, 5, and Ollie, 3, were in the gallery at Bay Hill alongside mother Audrey, whose life-threatening toxic shock syndrome forced her husband to withdraw from the 2015 Masters.

With Leishman projected to climb as high as world No.27, the Warrnambool product is feeling confident of bagging his first major championship.

"I feel good. My energy this week hasn't been the greatest after winning at Bay Hill, so the week off will be important for me to freshen up for the Masters," said Leishman.

"I'm feeling really good about how I'm playing; mentally and physically. The game feels sharp in all areas, particularly my driving and putting."

Meanwhile, American Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm advanced to the semi-finals, keeping alive the chance of a mouthwatering potential showdown between the world No.1 and Spain's rising star.

Johnson lost a three-up lead but answered with two birdies and put away Sweden's Alex Noren 3 and 2, booking a clash with tournament dark horse Hideto Tanihara in the semifinals.

Japanese golfer Tanihara defeated England's Ross Fisher 4 and 2.

Rahm, who won his first US PGA Tour event at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January, ended both his runaway Saturday victories against Charles Howell III (6 and 4) and Soren Kjeldsen (7 and 5) on the 14th hole.

The 22-year-old rookie has yet to play the 18th hole at Austin Country Club and will now face Bill Haas, who eliminated Phil Mickelson in their quarter-final 2 and 1.

Source: AAP