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

TOTAL TROPHIES WON (6)

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.