Mike Weir holds on to claim victory

Mike Weir won his second Nissan Open Sunday, and joined Ben Hogan and Corey Pavin as back-to-back winners at Riviera Country Club. However, although his victories appeared to be repeat performances, Weir won each in totally different fashion.

Last year, when Weir stepped onto the 10th tee, he was six back of Charles Howell III. Weir played his last nine holes in three under, while Howell finished his round at three over. This produced a playoff, won by Weir. This year, when Weir stepped onto the 10th tee on Sunday, he held a five-shot lead, just as he did when he started the final round. Under PGA Tour standards, this would be considered a rather comfortable lead; Since 1970, 82 of 92 players who headed into the final round of a four-round event with a lead of five or more strokes went on to win. And only three of the 10 losses occurred in the last 20 years: Jean Van De Velde at the 1999 British Open, when he blew a five-stroke lead, Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters, when he blew a six-stroke lead, and Scott Hoch at the 1995 Shell Houston Open, when he blew a seven-shot lead. So the odds were in favor of Weir holding on for the win.

However, Weir played his next seven holes in two over, as playing partner Shigeki Maruyama played them in three under. By the time Weir stepped up to the 17th tee, his lead had disappeared. It took a bit of rain -- and some good fortune -- for Weir to throw Maruyama off. Maruyama bogeyed No. 18 to give victory to Weir.

With the win, Weir managed to get one monkey off his back, as someone who couldn't hold a third-round lead. Before Sunday's round, he had held the lead five times heading into the final lead, with disastrous results. Remember the 1999 PGA Championship? Weir led along with Tiger until the final round, when he shot 80 and finished T10th as Tiger went on to win. Weir also co-led the BellSouth that year, but shot 72 to finish T5th. Weir led the Honda 2002 Classic by one, shot 75 and fell into a T11th. However, he seems to love winning from behind, as all six of his previous wins have been accomplished in this manner.

With the win, Weir becomes the second-winningest left-hander in PGA Tour history with seven career wins, surpassing Bob Charles' six victories. Phil Mickelson leads the category, with 22 wins. Still, I wonder if Mickelson would trade some of those wins for Weir's very prestigious victories in the Masters, NEC-American Express Championship, Tour Championship and two Nissan Opens.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page