Majors exile over, LIV's Leishman through in playoff

Marc Leishman has survived a playoff to clinch his first start in a golf major in almost three years, earning a spot in the US Open.
Six-time PGA Tour winner Leishman has not played a major since switching to breakaway LIV Golf following the 2022 British Open.
But he emerged successful from golf's "longest day" on Monday, playing 36 holes then getting through a three-man playoff for the last two of four spots available at the qualifying event at Rockville, Maryland.
It was just one of 10 final qualifying events involving hundreds of golfers at sites across the US and Canada on Monday ahead of the US Open at Oakmont from June 12-15.
Leishman shot scores of 70, 69 to finish three under and tied third, then had to battle fellow LIV player Sebastian Munoz and American Bryan Lee in the playoff, with Munoz missing out after failing to convert a par putt on the second playoff hole.
He will join fellow Aussies Cam Davis, Jason Day, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott and Cameron Smith at the year's third major, and has already confirmed a return to the British Open at Royal Portrush courtesy of his tied-third finish at last year's Australian Open.
It continues a positive trend for 41-year-old Leishman, who finally broke through for his first individual LIV Golf title at the Miami tournament in early April.
He has had six top-10 finishes in majors with his best a tie for second at the British Open almost a decade ago.
There was no joy for the other Australians involved on Monday with fellow LIV Golfer Lucas Herbert and PGA Tour rookie Karl Vilips unable to advance at Rockville, while Scott Hend and Harrison Crowe were among others to miss out elsewhere.
Leishman and Herbert were among 15 LIV Golf players who entered the Maryland qualifier ahead of their league's event outside Washington DC later this week.
Their Australian Ripper GC teammates Matt Jones and Wade Ormsby withdrew before it started.
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