Mike Weir- will he ever make it back?

[MEfree]

At 42 years old, the 2003 Masters Champ is struggling, but has 8 PGA Tour wins and over $26 M in earnings (currently 18th all time) including $3 M in 2008 to his credit.

Weir says he is fully recovered from an elbow injury that derailed him for a few years and is working hard to rebuild his golf swing for 2013. http://www.mikeweir.com/blogs/mikesdiary/2012/06/RBC-Canadian-Open-Preview

So far this season, he is 0 for 12 in cuts made and would rank last in driving distance (258.6 yards), driving accuracy (38.6%) and GIR (44%) if he had played in enough rounds to qualify.

Will we ever see the lefty from Canada back in the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs?

[mvmac]

From the swings I've seen during some practice sessions it's sooo much better.  Head isn't moving down and back.  He built his own training aid that he uses in his house to groove a centered pivot.  Whether he'll make it back to being the player he was several years ago?  I don't know but he's making the right changes with his swing.

Quote:

I'm only three months into it so there's still a ways to go. Grant gives me one thing to work on and as I groove that into my swing, he gives me the next step. It will be a process but one I'm excited about.

[GaijinGolfer]

Im going to say no.  He's done.  He had his 15 minutes of fame but even in his prime he wasnt THAT good and now the competition is a lot toughter than it was in his day.

[BEAN]

Quote:

Im going to say no.  He's done.  He had his 15 minutes of fame but even in his prime he wasnt THAT good and now the competition is a lot toughter than it was in his day.

I have to agree with this.  He is an easy guy to cheer for and I hope he proves me wrong but I would not put any money on him.

[jamo]

Im going to say no.  He's done.  He had his 15 minutes of fame but even in his prime he wasnt THAT good and now the competition is a lot toughter than it was in his day.

Agreed. Plus, I think injuries have taken too much of a toll.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Im going to say no.  He's done.  He had his 15 minutes of fame but even in his prime he wasnt THAT good and now the competition is a lot toughter than it was in his day.

He was a fantastic short game players who excelled on the toughest courses because he could grind with the best of them. I think he's done, which makes me sad, but in his prime (~ 2001 to 2006) he was pretty damned good. He was "that good" from 100 yards in.

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Im going to say no.  He's done.  He had his 15 minutes of fame but even in his prime he wasnt THAT good and now the competition is a lot toughter than it was in his day.

He may not make it back, but your standards for being good are really high.

3 wins in 2003 including the Masters.  8 PGA Tour wins from 1999 to 2007 including a WGC event and the Tour Championship.  Certainly not Tiger like, but how many other players besides Jim Furyk, David Toms, Phil, Vijay and Ernie won more during that time frame?  Not Davis Love, not Justin Leonard, not Sergio, not Adam Scott

Almost 5 Mil in 2003 and over 3 M in 2008.  2 consecutive years in the OWGR top 10 with a high ranking of #3.  Do you have to be #1 or 2 to be THAT good?

[CraiginKSA]

Golf is witchcraft.  Once it goes, it's pretty much gone.  At that age he's not going to get any longer!  And the nerves required to keep getting up and down so often don't get any better as you get older.  I don't see him making it back.  But a really solid career including a Masters is nothing to be dissapointed about.

[MSchott]

Originally Posted by CraiginKSA

Golf is witchcraft.  Once it goes, it's pretty much gone.  At that age he's not going to get any longer!  And the nerves required to keep getting up and down so often don't get any better as you get older.  I don't see him making it back.  But a really solid career including a Masters is nothing to be dissapointed about.

I agree. He's just too short off the tee to make it on the PGA tour in 2012. Consistently having to hit long or mid irons into greens when others hit wedges is not going to make it. No one putts that well or has a good enough short game to compensate.

[TourSpoon]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Im going to say no.  He's done.  He had his 15 minutes of fame but even in his prime he wasnt THAT good and now the competition is a lot toughter than it was in his day.

I think you are downplaying how good he was. I would give him 30 minutes of fame. He did win a little tournament called The Masters and 26 million.

I do say that he is done.

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by MEfree

He may not make it back, but your standards for being good are really high.

3 wins in 2003 including the Masters.  8 PGA Tour wins from 1999 to 2007 including a WGC event and the Tour Championship.  Certainly not Tiger like, but how many other players besides Jim Furyk, David Toms, Phil, Vijay and Ernie won more during that time frame?  Not Davis Love, not Justin Leonard, not Sergio, not Adam Scott

Almost 5 Mil in 2003 and over 3 M in 2008.  2 consecutive years in the OWGR top 10 with a high ranking of #3.  Do you have to be #1 or 2 to be THAT good?

Exactly my point.  You talk like he was the best player of that time.  He wasnt.  He was good, no doubt but so were a lot of others.

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

I think you are downplaying how good he was. I would give him 30 minutes of fame. He did win a little tournament called The Masters and 26 million.

I do say that he is done.

Sorry but being a flash in the pan and winning 1 major doesnt make you an elite player in my book.  I feel the same way about Bubba and Keegan Bradley.  Win another major and show me you werent a fluke.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEfree

He may not make it back, but your standards for being good are really high.

3 wins in 2003 including the Masters.  8 PGA Tour wins from 1999 to 2007 including a WGC event and the Tour Championship.  Certainly not Tiger like, but how many other players besides Jim Furyk, David Toms, Phil, Vijay and Ernie won more during that time frame?  Not Davis Love, not Justin Leonard, not Sergio, not Adam Scott

Almost 5 Mil in 2003 and over 3 M in 2008.  2 consecutive years in the OWGR top 10 with a high ranking of #3.  Do you have to be #1 or 2 to be THAT good?

Exactly my point.  You talk like he was the best player of that time.  He wasnt.  He was good, no doubt but so were a lot of others.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

I think you are downplaying how good he was. I would give him 30 minutes of fame. He did win a little tournament called The Masters and 26 million.

I do say that he is done.

Sorry but being a flash in the pan and winning 1 major doesnt make you an elite player in my book.  I feel the same way about Bubba and Keegan Bradley.  Win another major and show me you werent a fluke.

Nobody is saying he was Gene Sarazen. He wasn't a nothing either, as you're suggesting. By your standards, every current male playing Mizunos right now is a zero.

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Exactly my point.  You talk like he was the best player of that time.  He wasnt.  He was good, no doubt but so were a lot of others.

Sorry but being a flash in the pan and winning 1 major doesnt make you an elite player in my book.  I feel the same way about Bubba and Keegan Bradley.  Win another major and show me you werent a fluke.

When did I imply he was the best of all time?  I said:

Originally Posted by MEfree

At 42 years old, the 2003 Masters Champ is struggling, but has 8 PGA Tour wins and over $26 M in earnings (currently 18th all time) including $3 M in 2008 to his credit.

...

Will we ever see the lefty from Canada back in the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs?

If he was Tiger, making it "back" wouldn`t simply be qualifying for the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs.

As far as being a "flash in the pan," Weir has more PGA Tour wins than Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink and John Daly just to mention a few.  245 cuts made and 68 top 10s is a lot of very good golf.

As far as Bubba and Keegan go, he has more wins and more $ than the two of them COMBINED. Not Tiger, but you are selling him a bit short.

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Nobody is saying he was Gene Sarazen. He wasn't a nothing either, as you're suggesting. By your standards, every current male playing Mizunos right now is a zero.

and?

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by MEfree

When did I imply he was the best of all time?  I said:

If he was Tiger, making it "back" wouldn`t simply be qualifying for the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs.

As far as being a "flash in the pan," Weir has more PGA Tour wins than Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink and John Daly just to mention a few.  245 cuts made and 68 top 10s is a lot of very good golf.

As far as Bubba and Keegan go, he has more wins and more $ than the two of them COMBINED. Not Tiger, but you are selling him a bit short.

Sorry but 8 wins isnt enough for me to get all worked up about.  I remember Weir well, he had a really weird waggle to his pre-shot routine and some serious problems with his mental game.  He was OK but nothing that will ever make the golf hall of fame.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEfree

When did I imply he was the best of all time?  I said:

If he was Tiger, making it "back" wouldn`t simply be qualifying for the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs.

As far as being a "flash in the pan," Weir has more PGA Tour wins than Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink and John Daly just to mention a few.  245 cuts made and 68 top 10s is a lot of very good golf.

As far as Bubba and Keegan go, he has more wins and more $ than the two of them COMBINED. Not Tiger, but you are selling him a bit short.

Sorry but 8 wins isnt enough for me to get all worked up about.  I remember Weir well, he had a really weird waggle to his pre-shot routine and some serious problems with his mental game.  He was OK but nothing that will ever make the golf hall of fame.

No one said it was - are you just trolling now?

[ApocG10]

The guy was a damn fine golfer, period. He is done. He's 42. He might have another PGA win or two left in him before the champions tour, but you sure as hell cant call a guy who is 18th all time on the money list as a 'flash in the pan'. He played great for 8-9 years, that is a fine career, not to mention a masters win. There was nothing fluke about it, he was in the hunt week in, week out when he was at his best. You do not get 60+ top 10's as a so called 'flash in the pan'. You sound jealous.

[brocks]

As far as Bubba and Keegan go, he has more wins and more $ than the two of them COMBINED. Not Tiger, but you are selling him a bit short.

I've never thought of Weir as a superstar, so I was curious about exactly how much money he had made. And I was surprised to find that he's 18th on the career money list, with nearly $27 million. For comparison, 62-time winner Arnold Palmer's career earnings are $1.86 million. Even more surprising to me is Jim Furyk, who is 4th all time, with $51.8 million. That's not inflation, that's the big bang. And it's why pro golfers should name all their kids, including their daughters, after Tiger. Yes, I know that other sports pay big money, too, but only a handful of them. Some of the richest tournaments in professional bowling have a first prize of only around $10 K. Sports with a much larger participation base, like skiing and swimming and cycling, get next to no TV coverage outside of the Olympics or Tour de France. Only a superstar who delivered ratings high enough to make sponsors cough up megamillions for TV contracts made it possible for PGA events to offer over a million bucks to the winners of regular events --- as Phil Mickelson has said on several occasions.