Editorials
Thank-you Mike from all of Canada
Mike, I just finished viewing the final round coverage of the Masters.
To say that I was ecstatic when you won the first playoff hole would be an
understatement. I think that I had everything (that is possible) crossed,
including fingers and toes. My wife thought that I was losing my mind.
( I think) As a proud Canadian, your victory has once again reinorced my
belief that regardless of the odds, we can accomplish anything if we set our
minds to it. Winning the Masters is an exceptional accomplishment. The victory
is even more significant because it is the first time a Canadian has ever won
this event. As a Canadian soldier, I thank you for achieving this victory. You
have done your country proud and for that we are thankful. I will add as a
footnote, ( and as I mentioned to my wife) that after your final putt for
victory, you were typically Canadian, rejoicing but not grandstanding. Again
another Canadian trait. You do your country proud. I just want you to know that
there are many of us Canadians that are there cheering for you. (silently) We
are there nonetheless. We wish you all the success that life's opportunities
present to you and I hope that I will get the opportunity to see you at the
Canadian Skins in Niagara on the Lake, Ontario in 2003. (If you attend)
Again thank you for restoring my belief that we can accomplish anything if we
put our mind to it. Yours was an amazing feat. Respectfully...
--Gord Romard, A Canadian Soldier
I am Now becoming interested In Mike Weir
I read your article. I have not had a favourite
golfer since Payne Stewart passed away. I don't really
have anyone to give my allegiance to, so I kind of
read up on everybody. I have been watching The Masters
and have found myself pulling for him. One thing I
like about Weir is that he is a genuine lefty, unlike Phil
Mickelson who watched his dad's reversed image in the mirror
to learn to play. I am also pulling for Ricky Barnes. I think it
would be neat for an amateur to win The Masters. I
have played golf for eleven years now and am an avid
fan and player. I grew up in Georgia so the Masters
is everything as far as the golf world is concerned. I now
live in South Carolina and we have lots of very fine
courses. So good luck, and Mike should know that he now has a fan in the South.
--Candy Hollingsworth
Weir loses spot in Telus Skins Game and Wayne Gretzky and Friends Challenge
Weir has not been invited to both the 2003 Telus Skins Game or the Wayne Gretzky and
Friends event. Instead, Canada's Ian Leggat will be taking his place at both events. I believe this is
a great injustice that has been done to Weir. For the last three or four years, Weir has been all that
Canadian Golf fans were proud of. Without Weir, we would have been happy if a Canadian player
was allowed to play in any big tournaments, let alone make the cut. Weir is Canadian Golf. One
struggling season and all that he has done for us gets thrown out the window. The Telus Skins
game is understandable. They have a reputation to uphold. The organizers want the best of
Canada, and in 2002, according to the PGA TOUR money list, Leggat was the best. But the
Wayne Gretzky and Friends challenge is unacceptable. Weir is one of the original participants in
this event and to exclude him due to one mediocre season is disgusting. 2002 wasn't a great year
for Weir, but it wasn't as bad as we seem to think. We just began adjusting to the fact that
Canada had a golfer to always depend on to finish well. If you compare 2002 to 2001, there was
not much difference. In 2002, Weir finished in the top 25, 11 times. In 2001, he finished there
only two times more. His consistency was nearly the same. It was the 2 or 3 great finishes in 2001
that earned him the large amount of money. The money list in my opinion, does not accurately
reflect the golfer's position on the tour. Take this year for instance. After two events, Weir had
already won more than his entire earnings from 2002. There is no way that one win and a tie for
9th should be earning a player more than 11 top 25 finishes. Now, lets look at Ian Leggat. Leggat
earned around $400,000 more than Weir in 2002 but only finished in the top 25, 8 times. He also
played 4 more events than Weir. This illustration shows how consistency means nothing on the
PGA Tour, unless you're a consistent winner, such as Tiger Woods. The fact is, one win, such as
Leggat's victory at the Tucson Open gives a player more prestige than a whole season of solid
play. Don't get me wrong, Leggat is one of Canada's finest and Weir did struggle in 2002, but
not to the extent of losing his invitation
to an event that he originally gave a name too.
--Trevor van Arragon
Email me your thoughts and I will post them immediately. trevor@mikeweir.ca