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Masters Champion Mike Weir Joins Strong PGA Tour Field In Wachovia Championship At Quail Hollow, May 5-11
Left-handed Canadian Will Be Among the Favorites In $5.6 Million Tournament That Pays $1,008,000 to Winner
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Before he won the Masters Tournament, Mike Weir was just one of five left-handed golfers on the PGA TOUR. Now as the owner of a prestigious Green Jacket, Weir, who has committed to play in the Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow, May 5-11, commands new respect. Weir will be among the favorites in the 72-hole tournament that features a $5.6 million purse with $1,008,000 going to the winner.
The first lefty since Bob Charles to win a major (Charles won the 1963 British Open), Weir also is the first Canadian to win any major championship. (Dave Barr finished second in the 1985 U.S. Open and George Knudson was second in the 1963 Masters.)
The 32-year-old from Bright's Grove, Ontario has become an instant hero in Canada, where he opened up a line of golf accessories the day after he won the Masters. He also signed autographs at a department store that drew more than 2,500 fans and dropped the ceremonial first puck in the NHL playoff opener between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, which proclaimed, "A Star is Born."
Weir did emerge as a star at Augusta National, but he says there was nothing instant about his success. He has traveled a long and difficult road to stardom and the long hours of practice are starting to pay off.
"I was really just a summer golfer until I went to Brigham Young University," Weir said. "I would play hockey through the winter and fall and spring and then play golf in the summer. But it was just kind of a seasonal sport and I didn't grind too hard in the off season, but I did hit balls. My dad put a net in our garage to hit golf balls into."
Weir played his collegiate golf at BYU, then attempted to earn his PGA TOUR card. It took him six times before he finally succeeded. Before reaching the PGA TOUR, he played overseas as well as the Canadian Tour and was that tour's rookie of the year in 1993.
Once he won his card in 1997, he worked hard to keep it. He finished 131st on the money list in 1998, but improved to No. 23 in 1999, and then to No. 6 in 2000.
After his victory in the Masters, Weir reflected on his journey. "It was a big moment for me," he said. "It was a big moment for Canadian golf and it's a big moment in Canadian sport. And those times missing Q school and playing overseas and the commitment that that takes not only for myself, my family, my wife, it has been an unbelievable progression. My golf swing wasn't very good back then and I knew I would kind of figure out a way to do that and overhaul that."
Weir now has six career PGA TOUR titles, three of which have come this year - the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the Nissan Open and the Masters.
In his first start since the Masters, Weir is hoping to win his fourth tournament of the year in the Wachovia Championship.
The Wachovia Championship will be televised by USA Network on Thursday and Friday and by CBS on Saturday and Sunday.
Proceeds from all PGA TOUR events benefit charities selected by the tournament organization. The nationally-known educational foundation Teach for America has been selected as the primary charitable recipient of the Wachovia Championship for 2003, in keeping with Wachovia's strong commitment to furthering education opportunities in local communities.
Champions for Education, Inc., a new 501(c) (3) foundation formed to raise funds for education, will manage and operate this event as the tournament host organization.
Only a limited number of daily tickets remain for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday ranging in price from $10 to $30. There are also a limited number of weekly ticket books available for $110. For more ticket information, call the tournament office at 704-383-1428. Tickets can also be ordered by calling 800-945-0777 or online at www.wachoviachampionship.com.
About Wachovia
Wachovia Corporation (NYSE:WB), created through the Sept. 1, 2001,
merger of First Union and Wachovia, had assets of $320 billion and
stockholder's equity of $29 billion at March 31, 2002. Wachovia is a
leading provider of financial services to 20 million retail, brokerage and
corporate customers throughout the East Coast and the nation. The company
operates full-service banking offices under the First Union and Wachovia
names in 11 East Coast states and Washington, D.C., and offers
full-service brokerage with offices in 49 states and global services
through more than 30 international offices. Online banking and brokerage
products and services are available through wachovia.com and firstunion.com.