Mike Weir Bio
Michael Richard Weir, CM OOnt (born May 12, 1970) is a Canadian professional golfer. He currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking between 2001 and 2005. He plays golf left-handed and is best known for winning the Masters Tournament in 2003, making him the only Canadian man to ever win a major championship.
Early Life and Background
Born in Sarnia, Ontario, Mike Weir grew up in the Sarnia suburb of Brights Grove. He learned to play golf at Huron Oaks Golf Course, where he was coached by Steve Bennett. Like many Canadian boys, his first sport was hockey, and he began playing golf left-handed as a follow-on from his hockey experience. Weir was fortunate that his godfather’s son played left-handed and handed down a partial set of spare clubs to him. At the age of 12, he won a junior tournament that awarded a complete set of irons, which he used to replace his original clubs. During his early years at Huron Oaks, he met golf legend Jack Nicklaus, which became a pivotal moment in his career. Weir gave up hockey in his early teenage years when he realized that golf was his best sport. He once wrote to Nicklaus for advice on whether to switch to right-handed play, but Nicklaus encouraged him to stick with left-handed golf if it felt natural.
Path to Golf
Mike Weir attended St. Michael Elementary School and St. Clair Secondary School in Brights Grove, where he won the Ontario Junior Championship in 1988. He graduated from Brigham Young University, majoring in Recreation Management, and won the Ontario Amateur Championship in both 1990 and 1992. He was an All-American selection at BYU in 1992. After turning professional in 1992, Weir started on the Canadian Professional Golf Tour, where he won three events. He also played some events on the Asian PGA Tour early in his career. He first reached the PGA Tour in 1998 but lost his playing privileges due to insufficient performance. He requalified by being the medalist at the final Qualifying School tournament.
Mike Weir Career
Early Career (1992-1999)
Mike Weir’s first notable work came when he won the 1999 Air Canada Championship in Surrey, British Columbia, making him the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event in Canada in 45 years. He shared the 54-hole lead at the 1999 PGA Championship with Tiger Woods but finished T-10. He won The Tour Championship in a playoff in 2001.
Breakthrough (2000-2003)
Weir began the 2003 season impressively, winning two tournaments on the West Coast Swing, including the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and the Nissan Open. In April 2003, he won the Masters Tournament at Augusta, Georgia, becoming the only Canadian male to win a professional major championship. His victory at the Masters made him only the second left-handed golfer to win any of the four majors. In June 2003, Weir tied for third at the U.S. Open, which moved him to third in the Official World Golf Ranking, his highest ranking. For his outstanding play in 2003, Weir won the Lou Marsh Trophy for outstanding Canadian athlete of the year.
Notable Works and Milestones
Mike Weir’s signature work is his victory at the 2003 Masters Tournament. He has won multiple awards, including the Lou Marsh Trophy and the Lionel Conacher Award, and has been inducted into both the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Mike Weir Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Mike Weir has received numerous nominations for his achievements in golf, showcasing his impact on the sport.
Mike Weir Awards Won
Mike Weir has received several prestigious awards, including the Lou Marsh Trophy in 2003 and the Lionel Conacher Award in 2000 and 2001. He was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2009 and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
Mike Weir Family
Mike Weir has been married twice, first to Bricia Weir, with whom he has two daughters, and later to Michelle Money.
Personal Life
Mike Weir currently resides in Sandy, Utah, with his two daughters. He has also ventured into the wine business, with Creekside Estate Winery producing wine for him since 2005. He announced plans to open his own winery in 2008.
