Professional golfers are often seen on the greens confidently swinging their clubs! They also have a moment of weakness after a tough day on the course, when they just want to let loose. Australian golfer Marc Leishman, recently, told a funny story that highlights the jolly side of the often mentally challenging golf world.
Marc Leishman didn’t make it to the final stage of Q-School in Los Angeles. He said that he “needed one guy in the last. I think it was nine groups, no six groups to shoot more than 69 and I was in and they all shot under 69. So I go from going to final stage accused school to flying back to Melbourne for the Australian Masters.” So he and his friend Steve Jeffries decided to lighten up with an ample dose of booze after they both failed to make the cut.
Their bender started with Coronas at the club on the corner, progressed to Bailey’s out of pints, and ended with them requesting any leftover booze. “[We] start smashing Coronas and finish all the Coronas in the lounge,” he admitted in the Fairway to Heaven podcast. This is when Leishman remembered that he had a flight to catch!
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Leishman, who was very drunk by now, took the economy class trip back to Melbourne. He was lucky enough to be given the highly sought-after exit row aisle seat with lots of legroom. He took his seat and went to sleep right away. Flight attendants later interrupted Leishman’s sleep.
While talking of the experience, he added, “They come over and they’re like, sir, like, you have to you have to get off the plane and whatnot. And I’m fine. promise you I’m fine.” So, why did the attendants want Leishman out? They just wanted to tell him that the jet had already landed down in Melbourne. It turns out, Leishman had dozed off for the whole fifteen-hour flight without even reclining his seat!
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Professional golf is often viewed as a serious, analytical sport. But even on the pristine fairways and greens, there’s room for a bit of fun!
Not the only fun drunk golf story!
This is not the only time that alcohol has made the game more interesting. In a legendary story from 1994, the extremely hungover John Daly defeated Tiger Woods. The night before the round, Daly recalled inviting Woods to go out with him and his buddies for drinks; however, Woods politely turned him down, preferring to hit balls and work out.
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Daly drank all night long, saying “This is going on for about five or six hours, and we’re still there, just pounding, getting drunk having a good time.” He even sang“Knocking on Heaven’s Door” at a dinner party while still quite drunk. For this, he even received a standing ovation. Thanks to his caddie, Daly started the next morning with a Jack and Coke in hand. Daly played a stunning 65 despite being intoxicated, while Woods struggled to a 71 and was shaking his head in shock the entire round.
Marc Leishman’s tale and Daly’s story tell that despite having extraordinary talent and dedication, professional golfers are also just regular people. They also want to have fun and let their hair down, even if it means dealing with the aftermath of a hangover on the flight or course.