<\/p>\n
But for as good as Leach could flush the ball, his putting held him back toward the end of college and into Leach\u2019s professional career, which began two years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou might even say I had the yips,\u201d said Leach, who recalled the low point at the 2022 Wisconsin State Amateur, where he lost over 16 strokes putting to the PGA Tour average in four rounds and still tied for sixth. \u201cThat was pretty demoralizing,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The next summer, he turned pro anyway.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy expectations were to put in some work every day and just start climbing the ladder,\u201d Leach said. \u201cI knew I wasn\u2019t good enough when I first turned pro, but I felt like if I kept putting in the work, I could definitely get there. I started to see some progress, but the one thing that just kept lacking was the putter. I just couldn\u2019t quite figure that out.\u201d<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t for lack of trying, and Leach tried just about everything \u2013 left hand low; hips and shoulders open, closed; firm grip, weak grip; lots of face rotation, and none at all. The only place he never went initially was the long putter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually made fun of people who used the broomstick or the arm lock,\u201d Leach admitted. \u201cI said, there\u2019s no way I\u2019m going to use that. I\u2019m going to putt conventionally and figure this out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marquette head coach Steve Bailey lauds Leach\u2019s self-belief, which Bailey calls his \u201cX-factor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEven during stretches of college when he wasn\u2019t playing his best, he had a superpower of being unfazed by adversity,\u201d Bailey said. \u201cTyler had his unique way of deflecting hurdles and never doubting his ability.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leach\u2019s stubbornness with his stroke eventually wore off this past June, when Leach\u2019s wife, Abby, told him, essentially, \u201cIt can\u2019t hurt,\u201d referring to the broom. So, Leach threw a center-shafted L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max in his bag. In his first event with the broomstick, he missed a mini-tour cut by nine. He stuck with it, and good thing; Leach recorded his first pro win at the Minnesota State Open in July, rolling it beautifully.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce you have a great putting week, you kind of prove to yourself like, OK, I\u2019ve done this once, I can certainly do this again,\u201d said Leach, who has a mere two career PGA Tour-sanctioned starts to his name, both in Canada.<\/p>\n
Through three stages of Q-School, Leach is gaining over a shot and a half per round, about three shots better than his average in college. He\u2019s medaled in two straight stages, too, including last week\u2019s second stage in Tucson, Arizona. Leach started the final round at Starr Pass three shots outside the number before firing 7-under 63, over seven shots better than the field average that day. The round was capped with seven birdies in Leach\u2019s final nine holes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just one of those days where you black out,\u201d Leach said. \u201cYou\u2019re trying not to think about anything. I knew there was a lot at stake, but I was so locked in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leach, among five players at final stage who started at pre-qualifying, was also one of two second-stage medalists out of Marquette. Hunter Eichhorn shot 21 under in Savannah, Georgia, to advance to final stage for the first time since he turned pro in 2022. Eichhorn is from a town even smaller than Spring Valley \u2013 Carney, Michigan, located in the U.P. and home to less than 200 residents. He won six times for the Golden Eagles and was thrice the Big Ten Player of the Year. He also was Leach\u2019s roommate for three years and a groomsman in Leach\u2019s wedding.<\/p>\n