MELBOURNE, Australia – As if playing Tiger Woods isn’t hard enough, Marc Leishman’s Day 1 fourball match at the Presidents Cup was made even more demanding by an equipment issue.

After warming up for his match, Leishman, who was paired with Joaquin Niemann, fell behind Woods and Justin Thomas early. Things only got worse when he reached for his 2-iron on the sixth tee.

“I caved my face in on the range. It happens occasionally when you're hitting range balls,” Leishman said.

The issue was complicated by Royal Melbourne’s bouncy fairways which demand a more controlled game off the tee.

“I was going to hit it, and I probably would have hit it on the next five holes. I had to go with 3-iron or 3-wood,” said Leishman, who lost the Day 1 match, 4 and 3. “It was a little frustrating, but it happens.”

Leishman said a replacement 2-iron was ready for him following his Thursday round and it worked well on Day 2 as the Australian teamed with Abraham Ancer to defeat Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson, 3 and 2.