Marc Leishman wins Travelers Championship

An eight-under-par closing round of 62 by Australia's Marc Leishman gave him a one-stroke victory over Charley Hoffman and Bubba Watson at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

Marc Leishman wins Travelers Championship (Getty Images)

An eight-under-par closing round of 62 by Australia's Marc Leishman gave him a one-stroke victory over Charley Hoffman and Bubba Watson at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

Leishman began the round six strokes behind leaders Brian Davis and John Rollins, but he played a wonderful last round that featured eight birdies and no bogeys to post an impressive clubhouse total of 14-under-par.

For much of the play on Sunday it looked as though Leishman's effort wouldn't be quite enough. Charley Hoffman reached 16-under-par and was two shots clear when he stood on the 17th tee. But he lost his tee shot right into the water hazard and made a double bogey. He then bogeyed the last to finish one behind the Australian.

Overnight leaders Davis and Thatcher both struggled to level par rounds of 70 on a day when others were making multiple birdies. Thatcher started poorly and, despite an eagle at the 13th, was unable to match Leishman's winning total. Davis just couldn't get it going on Sunday and, when both men finished on 12-under-par, the title was Leishman's.

"I didn't think it was going to be enough," he said. "Golf is a funny game, a really funny game. "It had been close for a while actually. I just get a little bit streaky with the putter, and I haven't been lately."

Hoffman was left to consider an opportunity missed.

"Obviously a bad finish and a bad taste in my mouth, but you learn from it," he said. "Any time you put yourself in contention, you learn from that."

Bubba Watson made a run at the title but ran out of steam on the back nine to finish just one back, tied for second with Hoffman.

Travelers Championship TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut 21-24 Jun, purse $6,000,000, par 70 1   Marc Leishman (Aus)   68   66   70   62   266   $1,080,000 T2   Charley Hoffman (USA)   67   67   67   66   267   $528,000 T2   Bubba Watson (USA)   66   71   65   65   267   $528,000 T4   Tim Clark (RSA)      66   69   66   67   268   $236,250 T4   Brian Davis (Eng)      67   67   64   70   268   $236,250 T4   John Rollins (USA)   68   67   65   68   268   $236,250 T4   Roland Thatcher (USA)   66   67   65   70   268   $236,250 T8   Brendon de Jonge (RSA) 72   65   66   66   269   $174,000 T8   Fredrik Jacobson (Swe)   65   66   70   68   269   $174,000 T8   Matt Kuchar (USA)   67   68   66   68   269   $174,000

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage Where next? European Tour - Willett wins BMW International Open

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?