Golf

Longer the better for Weir

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Updated Jun 20, 2009 6:30 AM ET
     
 
Rule No. 1 of Golf, as written here, remains basically intact through however much of the 109th United States Open has been played: Straight still beats long. How else to explain this curiosity: On killer-long Golf courses, Mike Weir now owns or shares two course records in major championship play, including yesterday's six-under-par 64 for the first-round lead of the 109th U.S . Open . Go figure. Or, as Weir said, "The longer the better, maybe.'' On a perfect, still evening, though, Weir lost his lead to Lucas Glover and Ricky Barnes, grinding out two-over through nine holes of a second round that will be continued, weather permitting, at 7:30 this morning. For all the terrors, real and imagined, provided by the sheer, hilly enormity of Bethpage Black's advertised 7,426 yards (although a number of tees were moved forward in the first round), the course was susceptible to the golfer who can hit it straight and stay out of the worst of the trouble. It also helped to have teed off in the second wave of players; those who never put a peg in the ground Thursday included Glover, Barnes and Weir. The Canadian, certainly never known as a bomber, has won big tournaments, including a Masters, by hitting fairways and greens and making putts. For several hours there, Weir didn't really need to make any tester putts. That's how dialed in his irons were. He kept hitting the ball inside the leather and tapping in for birdies. He also missed a couple of birdie putts inside 10 feet, but his only real burp was a three-putt double bogey. Much of the fire was put out on the greens by all the rain Thursday. The putting surfaces, which are not anywhere near as demanding as those at, say, Augusta or Oakmont, are the easiest part of the course. Getting there is the real battle. "The year I won the Masters we were rained out Thursday and it played really, really long and everybody talked about the long players (having) a big advantage. But I think us medium-length hitters think we can compete,'' Weir said. "If we hit longer irons and Rescue clubs into the greens, the greens are soft enough to hold those shots. If it was firm conditions and we were hitting those clubs, it would be more of a disadvantage.'' Weir's best previous 18 holes in a major was the third round of the 2006 PGA Championship at Medinah. He shot seven-under 65 to equal a course record, also matched that day by Luke Donald and Tiger Woods. Medinah measured 7,506 yards and was billed as the longest course in major Golf history. So far, this Open is all about accuracy off the tee and on approaches. For one round, at least, nobody did it better than Weir.
Tagged: Mike Weir

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