In what was a rather uneventful conference call, Mike Weir addressed the media to discuss his upcoming season, hint briefly at a forthcoming announcement about his design firm, and talk about the Presidents Cup. Weir and Stephen Ames both kick off their season next week at the Bob Hope Classic.
The news seems to have gotten little play, which isn’t as odd as it might appear. Neither the Globe, Post, nor Star picked up the story nor had a reporter cover it. An indication that golf season starts too early and no one is really paying much attention? That would be my take. And Weir, who I spoke with at length for a magazine story on Wednesday night, didn’t have a ton to say — or maybe wasn’t asked the right questions.
The full Canadian Press story is here.
Here’s part of it where he addresses last year and the upcoming season:
Weir will officially begin his ’09 season next week at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in California, a tournament won in 2003 and is one of eight career PGA Tour victories for the Canadian.
“It’s been a great off-season for me, I’ve had time to sit back and reflect upon 2008 and see the things I was successful at and things I need to work on,” Weir said Thursday during a conference call. “I look at it a little bit like 2002 going into 2003 where I had an extensive break.
“With that I was able to practise hard, refresh my mind and just excited about the season because it’s such a long season to get ready for. I feel really ready to go . . . and hope to get started quickly.”
Weir said one reason he decided to take a long break this off-season was get over some nagging minor ailments.
“Physically, that was the big thing,” he said. “It was starting to take its toll a little bit at the end of the year, just minor little things with my back and elbow a little bit.
“I needed that time to kind of rest that a little bit . . . and stop hitting balls a little bit and that’s what I did when I first took time off. Swing-wise I’ve been hitting a lot of balls indoors but the weather has kind of broken here (in Utah) a little bit and I’ve been outside hitting balls here.”
Weir, who turns 39 in May, said a goal of his this year will be making the Presidents Cup team, something he obsessed about two years ago – which he did successfully – when the event was held in Montreal.
However, Weir said his major priority in 2009 will be returning to the winner’s circle, feeling if he can do that then the Presidents Cup will work itself out.
“That’s more along the lines I think,” he said. “Going into the Presidents Cup the last time I tried to put it in the back of my mind as much as I could but obviously being in Canada it was on mind all the time.
“I think it will be a little more on the back burner. Not that I don’t want to play, I definitely want to be part of that team and I enjoy that team atmosphere aspect of golf . . . but I just need to take care of business.
Which business?
Wine or golf course design?
I like Weir, and I don’t blame him for diversifying his income sources, but I am morally certain that we have seen his best and most competitive golf.