Canadian Mike Weir declared he is not heading to Augusta National this week simply to make up the Masters numbers.
When Tiger Woods fitted Weir with the Augusta National members jacket he became only the second southpaw golfer to win at golf’s highest level in defeating American Len Mattice in a 2003 play-off and 40 years after New Zealand left-hander Bob Charles won the British Open.
Weir became the first Canadian male to win a Major and some 35 years after Sandra Post brilliantly captured the 1968 LPGA Championship.
But while Weir has won eight times in PGA Tour counting events the Utah-based Canadian has endured a wretched period since tearing a ligament in his right elbow and then undergoing an operation early in 2010.
Tiger Woods fits the green Augusta National members jacket on Mike Weir.
Weir commenced 2011 on a major medical exemption, which meant he would have to earn the difference between his 2010 earnings and $786,977 that was the figure earned by the player who finished 125th on the Tour’s money list) in five starts to retain full Tour status.
However that did not work out as Weir’s injuries continued through last year.
His 2012 season has seen Weir miss the cut in all four PGA Tour events this year including the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
And that comes on top of last year when Weir played in 15 Tour events but made the cut in just two and that was finishing well down in 70th place in the AT & T National.
Weir’s last top-10 in finishing in a share of sixth in his first event of 2010, the Bob Hope Classic.
The only pay cheque Weir has earned this year was Euro 3,438 for a share of 53nd in his full European Tour membership debut in last month’s Andalucian Open.
But at least Weir has this week’s Masters to look forward to and if there is anything to get those competitive juices flowing to anywhere near the level of nine years ago then it’s that short drive down Magnolia Lane.
“I always look forward to Augusta and it’s date I always have circled in the diary,” said Weir.
“I just hope my game is firing on all cylinders.
Mike Weir savouring the proudest moment of his golfing career.
“But I do feel comfortable playing Augusta because I really like the course.”
Weir was quizzed what he did well that week in 2003 when he posted scores of 70, 68, 75 and 68.
“I drove it very well, my irons were okay, but I putted very well and wedged it well,” he recalled.
“My management of my game was a good thing that week. You don’t have to be a big hitter to win the Masters.
“We saw that also when Zach Johnson won. You can still contend not being a big-hitter, but there aren’t the “freebies” that there are for the big guys on the par 5s.
“I remember I had to have my wedge and putter working well that week.
“As for the golf course and it hasn’t changed a whole lot recently. The year I won was the year of the big changes, which kind of played into the big hitters hands more.
“It’s the opposite of Tiger-proofing, in my opinion. The long guys can go in with long irons and shorter irons, while we are going in with rescue clubs.
“But again you still have to putt, think your way around, and you have to control yourself.
“That’s the biggest thing in a Major.”
Unfortunately, Weir is still not fully healed from his elbow operation and naturally it’s meant cutting down his practice sessions appreciably.
But there’s no denying Weir’s commitment and he’s not about to tee-up on Thursday simply to make up the numbers.
“I do feel I can get back to where I was before the injury and as long as I have that belief I’ll play on,” he said.
“If I stop feeling that in the next couple of years I’ll probably call it quits because if I can’t get back to where I want to compete then I probably will stop.
“I don’t just want to be out here finishing 35th or whatever and if that were to happen I would rather be watching my kids playing soccer and football.”
