LIV Golf 2026 Season Player Preview: Marc Leishman
The 2026 LIV Golf season starts next February under the lights in Riyadh, and in the next few months, we’ll take a detailed look at each player competing next season. Next up is Ripper GC's Marc Leishman.
LOOKING AHEAD
Carrying the confidence of his first LIV Golf title and another Lock Zone finish, Leishman enters the new season with his iron game firmly established among the league's elite. The next step is to convert his strong play into more frequent contention. Major starts remain on the table for the veteran, and even at 41, Leishman still has the type of game that can translate to a difficult major championship. However, he will need to qualify as he is not yet qualified for any of the four major fields. His bid will begin in December at the Australian Open, which offers the winner a spot into both The Open Championship and The Masters.
LOOKING BACK
Leishman enjoyed his most successful LIV Golf season yet, securing a place inside the coveted Lock Zone for the third consecutive year. The Australian claimed his maiden LIV victory at the brutally difficult Miami event, where he navigated wind and tough conditions to lift both the individual trophy and help his Ripper GC team to victory. Although he recorded just three top-10 finishes overall, the breakthrough win more than compensated for any inconsistency elsewhere. His excellent campaign was due in large part to his approach play, with Leishman ranking fifth on the tour in Strokes Gained: Approach. He also competed in both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship, comfortably making the cut at each major.
WHAT THE STATS SAY
Strengths: Leishman’s approach play was excellent in 2025. He ranked 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining an average of 0.63 strokes on the field per round. He especially excelled in approach shots from 150-225 yards, where he ranked 6th in the league. He ranked 15th in long approach (225+).
Leishman’s iron play was on full display on the par 3 holes in 2025. He ranked 3rd in the league in Par 3 Scoring, playing them at a cumulative 4-under for the season.
Weaknesses: Leishman has been inconsistent off the tee throughout his career and that remained the case in 2025. He ranked 44th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, losing an average of 0.45 strokes per round to the field. He hit only 56% of fairways, which was below league average.
Leishman’s short game wasn’t especially sharp in 2025. He ranked 31st in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 36th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
CAREER RESULTS
LIV GOLF REGULAR SEASON
Year
Team
Starts
Rounds
1st
2nd
3rd
Total Top 10
Total Top 24
2022
Ripper GC
4
12
0
0
0
0
1
2023
Ripper GC
13
39
0
1
1
3
7
2024
Ripper GC
13
37
0
1
0
4
8
2025
Ripper GC
13
39
1
0
0
3
7
TOTAL
43
127
1
2
1
10
23
TOTAL TROPHIES WON (6)
Indiv. Reg. Season Wins
Team Reg. Season Wins
Indiv. Champ.
Team Champ.
1
4
0
1
LIV GOLF CAREER SCORING
Stroke Average Total: 69.62
Round 1 Average: 69.28
Round 2 Average: 69.63
Round 3 Average: 69.67
Lowest Round: 64
BOTTOM LINE
Leishman has already shown he can win at the highest level on LIV Golf, but unlocking true top-tier consistency in 2026 will likely come down to tightening his driving accuracy and capitalizing on the birdie opportunities his elite iron play creates. Over the past few seasons, his iron play has been elite, yet too many loose drives and streaky putting weeks have kept additional victories off the board. If he can improve in those areas, Leishman becomes a legitimate threat to climb into LIV Golf’s top 10 next season.
