Leishman is from Australia , but he and his family live in Virginia Beach . Even if another Tour winner from the Commonwealth comes along this year ( a Billy Hurley III repeat at the Quicken Loans National , perhaps ?), I say we adopt Leishman and celebrate a family story that is less about golf and more about modern medical miracles and what they spawn .

But first , golf . Leishman scored the 2017 feel-good victory with his triumph at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March . Given The King ’ s death several months earlier , it was the tournament every player wanted to win this year , probably the majors included .

And Leishman prevailed in true Palmer style , holing a 52-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole Sunday for the lead , then adding a couple of clutch up-and-down pars to finish a shot better than Kevin Kisner and Charley Hoffman .

In some ways , that ’ s the climax to a story that traces back to April 2015 . A romance that started with a chance meeting in Williamsburg in 2008 resulted in Marc moving to Virginia Beach a year later to be closer to Audrey Hills , then marriage , then two sons . The hope was that their next child would be a girl .

With Marc in Augusta prepping for the 2015 Masters , Audrey was home with the boys , sick with the flu — or so she thought . Long story short , when her temperature hit 102 , a friend took her to a “ doc in a box .” In no time , they had her transported to a hospital , where she was diagnosed with toxic shock and acute respiratory syndromes . Her organs were shutting down ; fluid was leaking into her lungs , blocking oxygen from getting to them .

Marc raced home , only to be told that his wife had a five percent chance of survival . She ’ d have to be placed on her stomach and into a medically induced coma . It was

the equivalent of trying to ace a par 4 , but somehow it worked . Audrey emerged after three days , but could barely hold up her head . She had to learn to walk again . Intense rehab and suffering followed .

In March 2016 , Audrey and the boys joined Marc in Orlando for the Palmer Invitational . She felt awful , dogged by strep throat . The plan was to treat the kids to Magic Kingdom , Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios .

As she wrote in her blog , she made it to two of the parks before her body gave up on her . She ended up at the hospital for IV fluids and a round of steroids .

“ Oh , the guilt ,” she wrote . “ I was nearing the one-year anniversary and I was not better . Sure , I wasn ’ t dying , but I wasn ’ t living , either .”

In May , she underwent a tonsillectomy to remove large tonsil stones . From there , she began to improve , really improve .

Finally , we come to March 2017 . Audrey and the boys , ages 5 and 3 , are standing by the 18th green at Palmer ’ s beloved Bay Hill , watching Marc finish off the competition , having walked nine holes for three days straight . There was another member of the family on the property that day . Audrey was 23 weeks into carrying the baby girl the couple so badly desired .

“ My sweet girl ,” Audrey blogged , “ you are the definition of a miracle .”

Audrey Leishman knows what caused her Toxic Shock Syndrome : the combination of having her intrauterine device ( IUD ) removed and her use of tampons . She writes eloquently and passionately about her experience and society ’ s avoidance of the issue ( PSDontUseTampons . com ).

She ’ s not writing just for women . She wants dads to know what to do if their daughters come to them complaining of the symptoms of toxic shock .

It ’ s just one way the Leishmans have become committed to the business of performing miracles for others . They

At Bay Hill , young Harvey Leishman ( left ) finally got to see his father win a trophy . Then , the whole family , including Ollie and Audrey celebrated on the 18th green .

also started the Begin Again Foundation ( beginagainfoundation . com ), which helps families experiencing medical and life crises .

The foundation ’ s LEISHLine program uses its resources , and those of local and regional partners , to offer housing , food , medication , transportation and lodging to families in need .

One true example of their work : The mother of a young patient with multiple complex illnesses lost her job and couldn ’ t pay her rent . The patient ’ s sibling considered quitting school to get a job to help out . But a social worker , employing LEISHLine funds , negotiated with the landlord to pay one month ’ s rent and keep the family in its home .

LEISHLine also focuses on helping provide medical financial assistance — along with Parent Advocate Foundation and Norfolk ’ s Children ’ s Hospital of the King ’ s Daughters — to victims of sepsis , acute respiratory distress syndrome , and toxic shock syndrome .

And , in tribute to Marc ’ s homeland of Australia , LEISHLine Australia and a partner there distribute $ 2,500 grants to families of children suffering from rare forms of cancer .

Marc Leishman may win another dozen Tour events . Or he may never win another — no matter . He and Audrey have found a higher purpose in their lives , and Virginians are among the many who are better for it .

ASSOCIATED PRESS