I recently returned to Global Golf Post, the very cool digital magazine out of the U.S., as its Canadian columnist. The magazine is free — so check it out.
This week I wrote about Mike Weir’s 10th anniversary of his Masters win. The story is here.
Writing about Weir has got me thinking about how significant the win is in Canadian sports history. It certainly made Weir a household name, and even now, when he’s not playing well, he remains the country’s most recognizable golfer. In another story I wrote, David Hearn compared him to Wayne Gretzky, in that Weir transcended the sport and became a Canadian icon. That’s the impact of winning a Masters.
Would Weir’s win rank among the Top 10 great accomplishments in Canadian sports, something surely dominated by the Olympics and hockey?
Regardless, the win made Weir uncomfortably famous. A few years ago I attended of a new partnership for his winery. There were lots of people there, and I’d just come off finishing the Weir Golf Design project for IMG. For most people Weir was the most famous person they’d ever met. It was interesting to see how they’d react around him. Until you spend an hour in a busy room around Weir you don’t understand how famous he really is.
No word on how Weir’s health is — or whether he’s going to be prepared for the Masters. I suspect he’ll play regardless of how he’s feeling — but if he’s not 100%, the chances of making the cut are really diminished.
