32 year old golfer Mike Weir is the most successful and the best known Canadian player currently active on the PGA tour. Weir is a native of Bright's Grove, Ontario, and has notched six career PGA victories since earning his tour card in 1998.
Born Michael Richard Weir on May 12, 1970, the 5'9" and 155 pound Weir attended college at
Brigham Young University, majoring in
Recreational Management. Growing up in
Bright's Grove, Weir, like many Canadians, was an avid hockey player. But by age 11, Weir discovered that his
true love was golf, and he practiced just about every day under the tutelage of his father, Rich.
At 13 years old, Weir wrote a letter to golf legend Jack Nicklaus, asking his advice on whether or not he should switch to playing right-handed. Nicklaus replied that Weir ought to stick to his natural swing-- advice which paid off later when Weir joined the CPGA following his graduation from BYU in 1992.
In 1993, Weir won the CPGA's award for the best rookie. By the time he joined the PGA in 1998, he had proven himself to be Canada's top golfer. In 2000, Weir received the Lionel Conacher award, which is given to the best Canadian male athlete-- an award that hadn't been given to a golfer since 1932. But despite his obvious skill and athleticism, Weir's greatest assets are his patience and perseverance. After not recording a single tour victory in 2002 (his best finish was a tie for eleventh place), Weir has already won three events in 2003 (including the Bope Hope Classic in January, and the Nissan Open the following month).
Weir currently resides in Draper, Utah, with his wife Bricia, and two young daughters, Elle and Lilli. His hobbies include hockey and fishing, and his caddy is Brennan Little of St. Thomas, Ontario.
Oh, yeah, and he recently (April 13, 2003) became the first Canadian to ever win
The Masters tournament, following his sudden-death playoff victory over
Len Mattiace. Not too shabby for his first major victory.
sources:
www.sports.espn.go.com/golf/players?playerId=453
www.golfweb.com/players/01/04/23/bio.html
www.mikeweir.com