Marc
Leishman and Cameron Smith spearhead a sevet strong Australian assault as they
back up from the US Open at Oakmont in this week’s Quicken Loans National
tournament.

Both
Leishman and Smith made the cut in a rain interrupted and disjointed week,
playing the weekend an achievement in itself in the year’s most difficult
major.

For
Leishman, the week was a positive one with only a third round 77 damaging some
otherwise good play as he posted his best career US Open result.

He will be
particularly pleased with his Sunday effort where he opened with three straight
birdies and signed for his second sub-par score of the week, a 1-under 69.

Teeing up
at another course which has previously hosted the US Open, Leishman will like
his chances this week as he has been in steady form for much of the past month
and finished T8 in his last appearance at Congressional in 2014.

Smith
didn’t fare as well on Sunday at Oakmont but will still bring plenty of
confidence to Washington after making his fourth cut in four majors at the
weekend.

A Sunday 79
was unfortunate for the 22-year-old PGA TOUR rookie but his play over the 72
holes was testament yet again to the level of his talent.

More than
one high profile player was brought undone by Oakmont and missed the cut and
Smith will have learnt more valuable lessons from his four days on course.

Smith and
Leishman are joined in this week’s field by Stuart Appleby, Aaron Baddeley,
Matt Jones, Rod Pampling and John Senden.

Both
Pampling and Appleby have previous form in this event at Congressional having
each posted a T3 finish, Appleby in 2007 and Pampling in 108.

However,
recent form at Congressional hasn’t been as convincing for either with Appleby
missing the cut the last two years and Pampling outside the top-20 on his last
visit in 2012.

Pampling’s
recent form has also been less than his best, two missed cuts and two mid 60’s
finishes in his last four events.

Appleby has
fared little better the past month but a T11 at the Zurich Classic has given
him a good chance to earn back his card for 2017 after playing this year on a
medical extension.

Neither
John Senden, Aaron Baddeley or Matt Jones have had much success in previous
appearances at Congressional with a T25 by Baddeley the highlight of the group.

However,
all have plenty to play for with Baddeley trying to maintain his place inside
the top-125 on the FedEX Cup list and earn back his card while Pampling (206th)
and Jones (129th) try to play their way in.

Senden
currently sits 100th on the standings and needs some decent results by year’s
end to keep his card.