16 Things You Didn't Know About Mike Weir

16 Things You Didn't Know About Mike Weir

Experienced Canadian Mike Weir enjoyed impressive successes at the beginning of the 2000s, earning him The Masters crown in 2003. Now in his 50s, Weir is still performing at golf's Majors. Although his form shows little signs of reaching the same heights, here are some facts about the former Masters champion.

16 Things You Didn't Know About Mike Weir

1. Weir was born 12 May, 1970 in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. He now currently lives in Sandy, Utah.

2. Weir played hockey as a youngster, but gave the sport up after realising his height put him at a disadvantage. Plus, he knew he was simply better at golf.

3. He learned to play golf at at Huron Oaks Golf Course, later working as a caddy and pro shop worker. While working at the course, 11-year-old Weir met Jack Nicklaus, with the legend playing an exhibition. Two years later, Weir wrote a letter to Nicklaus asking if he should swap from his more natural left-handed play to right-handed. Nicklaus responded, stating that he should stick with whatever came more naturally. The responding letter Nicklaus wrote is currently framed and sitting on a wall in Weir's Utah house.

4. Weir majored in Recreation Management from Brigham Young University (BYU)  in Utah. Before joining, he won the Ontario Junior Championship in 1988, before winning the Ontario Amateur Championship in 1990 and 1992 while at BYU.

5. Despite turning professional in 1992, he didn't join the PGA Tour until six years later in 1998. In the meantime, Weir played on the Canadian Tour, between 1993 and 1997, finishing first in his final year of the tour after two wins.

6. When Weir finally joined the PGA Tour in 1998, he lost his playing privileges after poor performances. However, the Canadian re-qualified for the Tour after medalling at the 1998 PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.

7. He achieved three wins on the PGA Tour in 2003. Most notably of all that year though, was Weir's Masters triumph. Becoming the only Canadian man to ever win the tournament, his victory also made him only the second left-hander to win a Major Championship, after New Zealand's Bob Charles. Since 2003, Phil Mickleson and Bubba Watson have also joined that list.

8. Weir opted for Elk, wild boar, Arctic char (fish), Canadian beer for the 2004 Masters Champions dinner. Providing food for the competition's previous winners, the Canadian clearly stayed true to his roots.

9. His 2003 Masters win earned him the Lou Marsh Trophy the same year, awarded to the Canadian Athlete of the Year.

10. Weir spent an accumulative 110 weeks in the top ten of the Official Golf World Rankings between 2001 and 2005.

11. Despite losing the Presidents Cup in 2007, Weir claimed his victory over Tiger Woods "may be even more special than winning the Masters." The Canadian beat the World's number one on the final two holes. Weir competed in the Presidents Cup five times, in 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009.

12. Weir's performances weren't as compelling after 2005, suffering poor form and injuries. However, his 2007 Fry's Electronics Open win was the first in over three years, tying him with George Knudson for the most wins in the PGA Tour by a Canadian, both with eight.

13. After injury plagued seasons in 2010 and 2011, Weir lost his full status on the PGA Tour. Demoted to the  Past Champions category, Weir managed to use special exemptions reserved for the top 25 on the career PGA Tour money list to regain his PGA Tour status for 2013.

14. In 2017, Weir was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. This achievement followed Maggie Mooney selecting Weir as Canada's twelfth greatest athlete of all time, in her book Canada's Top 100: The Greatest Athletes of All Time.

15. After turning 50 in 2020, Weir joined the PGA Tour Champions.

16. A street in Draper, Utah is named after Mike.