ROGERS CHARITY CLASSIC

August 14, 2024

Mike Weir

Canyon Meadows G&CC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Okay, good morning, welcome and thank you for joining us this morning.

Mike, with the Presidents Cup returning to Canada after 17 years, how important is it to have corporate support like Rogers getting behind the event in Montreal, but also generally golf in Canada?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, it's super exciting. You know, Ryan Hart, who is the executive director, has been keeping me posted the last couple years of all the support of the business world across Canada.

To have Rogers, one of the premier companies and telecommunication companies in Canada to be involved now and myself being a partner of Rogers is super exciting.

We're on the home stretch of the event, and great to add such a great company and brand to the event.

Q. You're also team Rogers athlete, which was announced at the Masters this year. What does it mean to you to have Rogers support you personally on PGA TOUR Champions and now extending that behind Canada hosting the Presidents Cup?

MIKE WEIR: Well, to be associated with such an iconic brand like Rogers and to be partners with them is fantastic. It's new. As you said, we just got started in April at Augusta. Just getting to know everybody and so far to good. It's been so fantastic.

As you said they've continue the legacy that Shaw started. It's even bigger and better now. It's going really well. I think everybody is very happy and excited to get the event underway this week.

Great start on Monday with the women's event here. Michelle and I did something that evening. A lot of great fan activation. I'm sure the fan support will be wonderful.

Yeah, it's been great so far.

Q. Can you just share some thoughts on how the international team preparations are going for Montreal?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, the international team, a lot of the behind-the-scenes things are done. It's really focused on the players now. There are two weeks left of the qualification process.

You know, this is crunch time for a lot of players. We have six automatic spots off the world rankings and then six picks with a lot of Canadians in the mix, so hoping they're going to really play well the next couple weeks and that I can pick them for the team.

As I've said all along, it's an international team. It's not Team Canada, so you have to be fair to everybody. A lot guys are playing well. I really like our team the way it's shaping up.

Yeah, guys are very excited. Been engaged with the players since the getgo, since I became the captain. Players have reached out to me and they're very excited to be on the team.

Q. What are your sort of leading memories of your own Presidents Cup opportunities? How does that sort of shape your role now as captain and how you approach it?

MIKE WEIR: I would say that my first Presidents Cup in 2001 when I first made the team I didn't really know. It was still in its infancy. I think that was maybe the third or fourth Cup.

But being a team sport guy growing up playing hockey and a number of different team sports, when you're an individual sport athlete I missed that. So to be on a team for the first time I knew from the getgo that I loved it.

I loved the camaraderie of the guys and I knew it was something I wanted to be part of for as long as I could. Was fortunate enough to play five of them, and as I've gotten older I appreciate the event, love the competition.

I've said this before: It's a pure competition. There is a lot of stuff going on in the game of golf these days, but this is pure competition.

I think the fans love that. They don't want to hear the stuff about money and all the other stuff going on, the rivalries between tours and all the different things. They want to see pure competition I believe, and that's what this brings.

Q. How hard has it been on you competing out here on the Champions Tour and also your job as captain?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, it's hard. You know, it's difficult. I was talking to Darren Clarke. He was like, hey, the Presidents Cup, you kind of get your life back after it's done. You can focus on your own game.

So, yeah, I mean, I played a few less tournaments this year and just your headspace is constantly thinking -- for me, it's on the top of mind, Presidents Cup; my game is secondary. Even though I'm working on my game and playing, my mind is constantly thinking about it. Calls before rounds, calls after rounds, texting with guys, our analytics guys.

I'm trying to get all the information I can in regards to the players so I can make the best decision upcoming in the next couple weeks. I don't want to make a decision on a whim. I want to have all the information and stats on the players so I can make an informed decision.

Yeah, a little bit harder to play but still fun. I found a nice balance.

Q. Is there a dark horse we may not be looking at for your team that you are?

MIKE WEIR: A dark horse? I mean, I wouldn't say a dark horse. I think if you look at the list because it's the world ranking list, if you look from No. 10 through about 16 or 17, that's probably where you're going to find the guys, the picks.

Likely No. 7 and 8 are going to make the team even though I have six picks. Be hard to not pick 7 and 8 unless something is unusual.

But you start looking four picks from that No. 9 through 16 spots. Unless somebody the next couple weeks from behind gets in and wins or something, could move right up. So a lot can still happen. I don't want to put a name to a dark horse.

Q. How important and how helpful have your vice captains been like Ernie and people like that?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, very helpful. Assistant captains have been very helpful. Ernie, having dinners with him, the other guys we communicate through text and Zoom calls and things like that. To just to be hanging out on the putting green or the range or going to dinner with Ernie and just talking through some things, it's very helpful.

I'm leaning on those guys. Trevor is out on the regular TOUR a lot. So is Camilo. He's playing with the guys. So having those two guys on the tour to communicate with and see what they're seeing out there, very helpful.

Q. Ahead of the Presidents Cup, how nice is it to be back here in Calgary and what are your expectations here this week?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, it's always great to come home for sure. This is the only time we get to do that on the Champions Tour right now. To come home here is awesome. It's a great golf course. From the first time I played here a few years ago I really liked the golf course.

Like to play a little better on it hopefully this year, but always enjoy playing here. The city is great. Great restaurants, great food. The fans come out here better than probably any other event on the Champions Tour, so I think all the players enjoy coming here it Calgary. They're treated great.

There is a woman who's a volunteer who gives me homemade jam. It's awesome. I look forward to that every year. Yeah, just great to com back to Calgary.

Q. Few years back you and Stephen Ames were both in contention. For a Canadian to win this event, what would that be like?

MIKE WEIR: It would be great. Stephen has been playing unbelievable the last couple years and continues his roll. He's up there as one of the favorites for sure.

Yeah, it would be great for one of the Canadians or other guys in the field this week; hopefully they have a good run, too. Always cheering for the other Canadian guys to play well.

Hopefully we can get one here.

Q. You played I guess a few less tournaments than maybe you're accustomed to; with Presidents Cup rolling around the corner that's a big thing. Also maybe the rest helps you going into Calgary. Do you feel that way? How is your game going?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, I mean, I did have a little getaway a week and a half or so ago. Went to Europe just to decompress for about a week. Flew back into Seattle Thursday last week and played so I wanted to shake a little bit of rust off which I felt like I did. I feel rested and ready for this week and hopefully that leads to good play.