Q. Is there anything physically or has it been kind of the post-pandemic blues? What do you attribute it to?
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, I think a bit of what you just said. Just struggling with energy and that sort of thing on the course, not playing great, either. Yeah, I don't know what it is. Just haven't been much fun on the golf course, either. It's a tough game. We all know that. Take the good with the bad, and this is why you celebrate your wins so hard because you're going to have times like this. You hope you don't, but like I said, it's a hard game, and you've got to take the good with the bad. I'm going through a rough patch at the minute but hoping to turn that around next week for sure.
Q. Did you do much during the shutdown?
MARC LEISHMAN: No, not much at all. I haven't had an off-season for a long time. I took a pretty decent spell. I played a little bit of golf, but it was -- I don't normally play golf if I have a week off. I don't usually play. I think having -- it was hard for me to play too much golf when I don't normally play. I don't know, hindsight I would have played a little more, but at the same time, I enjoyed the time with the family and the kids and just enjoyed being home.
But yeah, it's been pretty rough the last few months, but hopefully -- well, today was a little better. It's a tough golf course. Didn't set up great for me. A few too many trees on the left there off the holes you've got to hit drivers. There's a lot of 2-irons for me on holes where I would like to hit driver but I couldn't because I fade it. But yeah, looking forward to next week.
Q. Attitude is still good?
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, yeah. You know, when you're playing like this, it's pretty easy to get down on yourself. I won't say I haven't got down on myself a few times, but at the end of the day it's golf. I'm still in the TOUR Championship. If I have a good week next week, a lot can happen. That's what I'm aiming for. I hit the ball a lot better today. Still missed a few putts I should have made and I struggled reading the greens this week. But I struggled with everything this week. It wasn't just that. Yeah, hopefully have a good week next week.
Q. Kind of on that attitude, you had a good disposition out there today, seemed like you were just kind of owning the moment, but is there a level that's masking frustration or is there something underneath it that we don't see basically?
MARC LEISHMAN: I mean, yeah, I'm frustrated. But I guess, like I said, if you would have watched me yesterday it was a little different. I was pretty frustrated. Yeah, today was a little better but still not where I want to be. Baby steps. Just got to get back to where I was. Could be I found something with my putting today, which was good. I struck it a lot better. Next week I'll be able to hit some more drivers, which will be good, and I like the greens there next week.
Yeah, I mean, if this is the worst thing that's ever going to happen to me in my life, I'll be all right. It's a bad few weeks, few months, whatever it might be, but I've been through a lot worse than this off the course, so that always puts things in perspective when you can have a laugh at a situation off the golf course and then I guess your perspective is not always that good. I wish it was. But going through some of that makes something like this -- I won't say bearable. It's obviously still very frustrating, but it's a whole lot better than sitting next to your wife in an intensive care unit waiting for her to die. So yeah.
Q. What's it like playing in a situation like that? You're out there by yourself --
MARC LEISHMAN: It's odd. Yesterday I walked really slow, just tried to really take my time. I guess we're used to walking fast and trying to keep up with the group in front and all that, and I found that my heart rate didn't get up, my energy was really low because of that. So today I purposely walked a lot quicker to try and get that heart rate up and kind of simulate a little bit of -- not that there was any nerves whatsoever today after that 90. It didn't matter. But just to try and get my heart rate up and simulate what it might be like with crowds there, play with a little higher heart rate, and that worked a little better. That's something that I'll take into next week. Probably waited on my ball a little longer than what I normally would be, but that definitely helped with energy today. I feel like when you walk quicker, your body -- your self-image or whatever you want to call it, body language, is a lot better, too, than when you're walking slow and playing terrible. No, I'll be all right. Got to take the good with the bad and obviously not the week I was after here, but we'll fight on.
Q. Given your struggles over the last two weeks in the Playoffs, what do you make of still having the opportunity next week? Different structure with the strokes, obviously, but you've got a shot at 15 next week.
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, if I have a blinder next week, anything can happen. I'll start nine or ten back --
Q. If you have a what?
MARC LEISHMAN: Blinder. That means a really low one. I can really confuse you if you want.
Q. Yeah, I mean, nine back, 72 holes to play, 10 back, whatever it might be. I haven't played well on that course, either, but I feel like I'm due there. Things are starting to turn around with how it went today. Yeah, good positive into next week and try and have a big week.
Q. You mean a blinder?
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah, have a low one and get back into it.
Q. Was there a point in the season where you were surprised that you were unable to really get going? The first couple events you're going to kick the rust off but was there a point where you were like, I'm surprised I'm not really able to lock in yet?
MARC LEISHMAN: I don't think I'm ever surprised. I think if you expect things, that's a bad thing. I never expect to play well. Yeah, you prepare well and hope that the preparation pays off and you play good. Yeah, I'm never one to expect to play good. I was hoping. I was hoping at Memorial I might have -- yeah, good first two rounds at the Travelers and then struggled -- got off to a slow start on the Saturday, and I've just been struggling with energy with no crowds. It's very different. Like I said, I never play golf on my weeks off, so I very rarely ever play with no crowds.
I'm not making excuses, but it's just very different.
Q. You were obviously aware of the record that was --
MARC LEISHMAN: Yeah.
Q. Was there something that you did come into today being like, I don't want that?
MARC LEISHMAN: Yes, definitely. Yeah, I wanted to -- and I wanted to -- after the first round that I had, it was obviously a shocker. I had three days to try and find something. It took me three days. Finally found something today. So you know, yes, it's a very disappointing week, but I'm trying to take some positives out of today. I'm pleased with the way I handled myself today.
Q. Take yourself out of it for a minute, but you rarely see someone make the cut on the number and go on to win if they're nine, ten shots back. We're dealing with four rounds here. How doable is this for anyone in that position, for anyone who might start nine, ten back?
MARC LEISHMAN: It's going to happen one year. I just don't know if it'll be this year, next year or the year after. If the top three guys get off to a slow start, I don't know what third starts at, maybe 7-under, 6-under? If everyone is at 5 -- 5 could potentially be leading after one round. It's a tough golf course, East Lake. If someone from even shoots 5, it's game on, and that's in one round. I mean, I've come from six back before. I've also lost leads on the back nine. So things can change pretty quickly, particularly at that golf course. Yeah, I mean, it's not if it's going to happen, it's when, that someone will win from in the 20s.
Q. All hell is going to break loose what it does.
MARC LEISHMAN: If it were me, that trophy is going to be full and wet. (Laughter.)
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