Masters cut claims Weir

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Under normal circumstances, he would have been on a plane back to Utah by now. But Draper's Mike Weir has to stick around Augusta National for a couple of more days even though he missed the cut Friday afternoon.

That's what happens when you're the defending champion of the Masters. Weir faces the awkward task of awarding the green jacket to Sunday's winner even though he won't be playing that day.

Although it's been an exciting week as the defending champion, it's been a frustrating one for Weir, who wasn't on top of his game this week, even though he played better Friday.

"I played well today," he said. "If I could have just sharpened up a few things, I could have been 6- or 7-under par today. I was close to shooting a low number."

Weir overcame a poor finish Thursday and a horrendous start Friday to climb back into the tournament with five birdies in a nine-hole stretch.

However, a costly bogey on the 18th hole left him one shot off the cut line of 148 for the final two rounds.

The lefty from Canada finished with rounds of 79 and 70 and joined a group of 13 sad players who missed the cut by just one shot at 149.

It isn't the first time the defending Masters champion missed the cut the following year. It's happened eight times before, most recently in 2000 when Jose Maria Olazabal missed the cut.

Despite his awful start Friday, Weir had made up four shots, moving from 8-over par for the tournament to 4-over with five birdies and a bogey between the Nos. 4 and 13.

He was seemingly in good shape at the last hole, sitting in the fairway, a little under 200 yards to the hole. He and his caddy decided on a 5-iron, but his shot flew high, onto the top level of the two-tiered green, about 15 feet off the back of the green. His chip back onto the green from 40 feet ended up eight feet short and to the left. From there, his putt died on the low side.

"I hit the wrong club on the last hole," he said. "I thought the wind would be doing something different."

As he was interviewed under the large oak tree by the clubhouse, Weir was perturbed with himself, but he still had hope of making the cut.

"Hopefully I have a chance to play the next couple of days and see if I can improve," he said.