Marc Leishman delivered a vintage performance on Sunday at the LIV Golf Miami event, sealing his first individual win on the breakaway circuit with a composed four-under-par 68 at the challenging Blue Monster course at Doral. The 40-year-old Australian held off a late charge from several rivals to capture the title and lead his Ripper GC team to their maiden team victory of the 2025 season.
“It feels incredible,” Leishman said post-round. “We’ve been building towards this, and to get it done—both individually and as a team—is something really special. I’m proud of the boys.”
Leishman’s consistency throughout the weekend was key, carding rounds of 66-69-68 to finish at 13-under-par. His Ripper GC teammates—Cam Smith, Lucas Herbert, and Matt Jones—rallied around him with strong performances of their own, earning the squad a narrow team win over the ever-dangerous Crushers GC.
But the celebrations didn’t last long before controversy crept into the spotlight.
Anthony Kim, who recently returned to competitive golf after a long hiatus and joined LIV as a high-profile wildcard, made a stunning accusation in the aftermath of the tournament. In a now-viral post-round interview, Kim alleged that Leishman had committed a “rules infraction” on the 13th hole that went unpenalized.
“I’m not saying I’m the rules police,” Kim said, “but when a guy improves his lie and nobody says anything, it’s hard to swallow—especially when it affects the outcome. I saw it, and I’m not going to stay quiet.”
Kim did not offer further specifics but hinted that footage would vindicate his claim. LIV Golf has not yet issued a formal statement but confirmed that the rules committee is “reviewing all relevant material related to the allegation.”
Leishman, when asked about the accusation during the trophy presentation, dismissed it outright.
“That’s completely false,” he said firmly. “I play by the rules, always have. If Anthony thinks otherwise, I’d encourage him to speak directly to me or to the rules officials, not the media.”
The golf world is now waiting to see whether LIV will conduct an official review and whether Kim will substantiate his bold claim with video or corroborating witness accounts.
Despite the cloud of controversy, Leishman’s win marks a significant moment in his career. Once a regular contender on the PGA Tour, the Aussie has found new life on the LIV circuit and now has silverware to show for it.
Whether the fallout from Kim’s accusation casts a longer shadow remains to be seen—but for now, Leishman and Ripper GC are on top of the LIV world.
