Hadwin leads Canadian charge as Weir makes early exit

Published>Sat, Jul 24 10 08:37 AM

Mike Weir's 20th Canadian Open ended in a disappointing early exit on Friday, leaving it to PGA Tour debutant Adam Hadwin to lead the home grown charge into the weekend.

For nearly two decades, Weir has been the golfer Canadians had pinned their hopes on to become the first home grown winner of the national championship since Pat Fletcher in 1954.

Few of those Canadian Opens ended in more disappointment as Weir slumped to a second round four-over 74 and a two-round total of six-over 146 to finish ahead of only 11 players.

With Weir gone, the spotlight shifts to Hadwin, a 22-year-old Canadian Tour rookie.

Playing in his first PGA Tour event, Hadwin has delivered a fearless performance carding rounds of 68 and 66 to leave him the best-placed Canadian sitting on six-under 134 and four shots behind co-leaders Tim Clark and Dean Wilson.

"This right here is my dream," a beaming Hadwin told reporters. "When I get out on the golf course it's all business but off the course I kind of have to pinch myself and think is this really real. Am I really doing this right now."

Hadwin is just one shot ahead of Stephen Ames, the four-time winner on the PGA Tour, who has moved into contention with rounds of 67 and 68.

Jon Mills also survived the one-under cut but for most Canadian golf fans the weekend will not be the same without Weir.

A dejected Weir, who has now missed the cut in three of his last four starts including the British Open, refused to blame a bout of tendonitis that flared up earlier in the week and forced the 2003 Masters champion to wear a brace on his right arm.

"I just played poorly," shrugged Weir. "No excuses I just didn't play well.

"If you're driving the ball into the fairway you can score, if you're hitting it where I was you can't."

The pressure on the diminutive left hander to deliver on home turf and end a 56-year drought has grown and having just turned 40, the expectations this year seemed to weigh heavier as he struggled with tendonitis and form.

"When you have great support like that you want to give a better show," said Weir. "The fans are great, I want to play well for them. I was trying as hard as I could and just struggled.

"I'm at point in my game right now where I'm just struggling.

"Everyone goes through it at some point in their career. You just have to keep fighting and work your way out of it.

"No one is immune."

Source: Web Search