Mike Weir wrote himself into Canada's sporting history here yesterday.

He had long dreamt of being the first from this country ever to win one of golf's major championships and, in the gathering darkness at Augusta National Golf Club, it all came true.

The native of Bright's Grove, Ont., battled all day in one of sport's most intense pressure-cookers -- the Masters -- and didn't blink, eventually beating American Len Mattiace on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.

"It's something I've dreamt of and something I've worked very hard for," he said. "It's a huge day for me and for my family but I realize also what a big win it is for Canada. I've had so much support from so many people.

"I thought of George Knudson out there today and wished that he could have been here to see this."

He also thought of Bob Charles, the only left-handed golfer ever to win a major, until yesterday. Charles, a New Zealander, won the British Open in When Tiger Woods, the 2001 and 2002 champion, slipped the green jacket (size 42 regular) over Weir's diminutive shoulders, Weir said simply, "It feels good."

[ 04-14-2003, 04:28 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

And I cheered him all the way [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] . A pity that it ended the way it did. Mike hadn't made a bogey all day, then he made one in the play-off - it happened to be good enough to win though. To make a double bogey in the play-off is going to be shattering to the other guy (Lennie)

my mum was cursing him because she want Tiger Woods to win. she went berserk went she saw the newspaper picture of tiger woods putting the green jacket on weir. :D

I did kind of feel bad Lennie because he was so close and it is not every day you get to win a major. But on the brighter side he was a part of history and he played an excellent game.

Davros raises an eyebrow. Not one for supporting the underdog then - your mum? I can't say that I was perturbed in any way what so ever to see Tiger lose. I like to see the prizes being shared about. Too much domination by one player isn't good for the game. Tiger has already had the fairy-tale of his "Tiger-Slam". I would love to see him go through a bit more adversity of losing consistently, then rise back through and win a calender grand slam.