Australia’s most in-form golfer in 2017, Marc Leishman will return to RACV Royal Pines Resort to contest the 2017 Australian PGA Championship.

The chance to return to Australian shores was too good to pass up for the Warnambool local who said he felt like he was missing out if he didn’t make the trip over to contest the in the summer of golf Down Under.

Leishman had originally entered for the Hero World Challenge hosted by Tiger Woods to be held on the same weekend as the Australian PGA Championship but the temptation to come home for the first time this year was too great for the affable Victorian to pass up.

“I’m pretty excited to be coming home to the Australian PGA Championship. Originally I wasn’t planning to come home but had a change of heart. I felt like I was going to be missing something by not coming home,” Leishman said.

“It gives you that empty feeling not being in Australia for a whole year, so I definitely wanted to come and play and the Australian PGA fits in perfectly.”

Now World Number 13 following a stellar 2017 which included wins in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and BMW Championship, Leishman wants to etch his name on an Australian trophy would enhance an already glittering resume. “It’s obviously a big goal of mine (to win at home), I’ve won on most tours across the world except the PGA Tour of Australasia; it is something missing from my resume.

“It would be huge. The tournaments in Australia are what I grew up watching as a kid, there are a lot of great players playing and it will take four great rounds to do well.”

Leishman joins a stellar line-up at RACV Royal Pines Resort including Masters Champions Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott as well as Cameron Smith, Jonas Blixt and defending champion Harold Varner III and after mixing it with the best in the world all year, is confident of his chances come November 30.

Throw in a host of local talent who have been competing all year on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and Leishman certainly faces a tough challenge to record an Australian victory however he is not short of confidence in his own game.

“I feel like I can beat the top guys on any given day, I’ve been on Tour for 10 years now and to win you have to beat the best,” Leishman added.

“Everyone out there has the game to win and when you’re playing the best in the world you have to back yourself to win.”