QBE Shootout: Marc Leishman, Jason Day ride two hole-out eagles to first-round lead

NAPLES, Fla. — There are usually a few eagles in the scramble format of the QBE Shootout.

But not usually the way Marc Leishman made two of them to help Leishman and playing partner Jason Day shoot a 16-under 56 and take the first-round lead Friday.

Leishman holed out from in front of the green on No. 6, then holed out a pitch shot on No. 10, so neither of the par-5, hit it on in two and make the putt variety.

“The one on 6 I had a pretty good read off Jase,” Leishman said. “It was a very straightforward chip, but obviously it still takes a little bit of luck for it to actually go in the hole. And then the one on 10, the guys all hitting in front of me, it was on a little knoll I guess you’ll call it. Jase was in there about 10 feet and had a chance to just go straight at it and went straight at it.”

“He landed it absolutely perfect, nice flight, just beautiful, just spun it a little bit and rolled in,” Day said of the eagle on No. 10.

Another eagle hole-out for @MarcLeish. 😲

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What a run for Team Day-Leishman. pic.twitter.com/45purdw6l1

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 10, 2021

Leishman and Day made 12 birdies, but the 16-under wasn’t enough to create much distance, especially from the defending champions.

Harris English and Matt Kuchar, and Corey Conners and Graeme McDowell are both just one back. Lexi Thompson and Bubba Watson, and Jason Kokrak and Kevin Na are tied for fourth, three behind going into Saturday’s modified alternate shot format.

“Felt like last year all over again,” said Kuchar, who has won three times with English. “This place, I think it’s special to both Harris and I. Nice to get off to a good start.”

“Played really solid, gave ourselves a lot of chances,” English said. “Didn’t have any eagles today, we were close, but it’s all about making putts. Matt made a couple good 20-, 25-footers and that’s what keeps the round going, that’s what keeps the momentum going.”

English and Kuchar were 7 under after the front nine, then birdied all but No. 12 on the back nine.

“We tend to play the back nine really well here, got off to a good start on 10 and kept it rolling,” English said. “Keep giving ourselves chances and keep seeing those putts go in.”

McDowell and Conners capped their round with four birdies and an eagle before parring the 18th.

“Corey drove the ball fantastic,” McDowell said. “The hardest thing I had to do was try to keep in my rhythm when I followed him down the fairway, he drove it so well. It’s always important just to get two looks the best you can. I just felt like we ham-and-egged well.”

Almost as well as the three-time champions, but not quite. The only round in the six previous appearances Kuchar and English have had where they stumbled was the modified alternate shot in 2017, when they shot an even-par 72, then finished tied for 10th.

“It’s the most challenging of all the formats,” Kuchar said. “It’s the one that kind of separates the teams that really have it going and teams that don’t have it going. I think you look forward to seeing what happens after the second round.”

Marc Leishman tees off during the QBE Shootout on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021 at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Fla. Caitlyn Jordan/Naples Daily News/USA Today Network

Leishman and Day do have some experience in these formats. They were partners for three matches in the 2017 Presidents Cup, although they went 0-2-1. They halved with Phil Mickelson and Kevin Kisner in foursomes, and then lost to them in fourball and also lost to Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed in the second foursomes.

“‘Leish’ is good in a team environment,” Day said. “Obviously him and Cammy Smith at the Zurich, obviously here, so it’s just, obviously it’s an individual sport. But I think he thrives really well in a team environment, so it’s nice to be able to have someone like that as a partner this week.”

Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/