WGC AMERICAN EXPRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 18, 2002

Mike Weir

TODD BUDNICK: We welcome Mike Weir, the defending champion of the American Express Golf Championship. Obviously you weren't able to defend the championship last year due to the incidents. Tell me how that plays into you're defending the championship now.

MIKE WEIR: It's obviously an odd scenario. I was looking forward to defending it at St. Louis because the golf course was very good.

I was looking forward, as I said, to defending in St. Louis, because I thought the practice rounds -- we did play some practice rounds there Tuesday and Wednesday morning, got to see how good the golf course was and what a tremendous job they did. Obviously under the circumstances we couldn't play. It was right we didn't play.

You're removed. A different country again. I almost don't feel like the defending champion because it's been so long. It's not the same golf course; not the same country. It's a different feeling than going back to the same golf course after only a year.

TODD BUDNICK: We have 49 of the 50 top-ranked players in the world this week, so it should be a true test of one's game this week.

MIKE WEIR: Absolutely, and when I did win two years ago it was a big win. I beat some great players down the stretch. I think, you know, whoever is in contention this week, hopefully I am, you're going to have the best in the world to beat. That's what you want, and I think that's what these World Golf Championships wanted: To get the best players together and more often and we have that this week.

TODD BUDNICK: Talk a little bit about your year this week. You're 69th on the money list, I believe, so you're not in a bad position there. You have no Top-10s yet. It's probably been a little disappointing.

MIKE WEIR: It's been a little disappointing. It's the main reason mainly I've worked on a bunch of things on my game to get better for the future. I've always been looking to get better and see how I can get better and I've worked on a few things and I'm starting to make some good strides right now. I feel like I'm going to be a better player than I was last year or the year before. I may not be showing right now, but I am getting there. So the 20 or so odd tournaments I've played so far this year haven't been that great, but it's been a bit of a sacrifice to get where I want to be in the future, and I was willing to do that.

TODD BUDNICK: You've only missed two cuts.

MIKE WEIR: I've played pretty consistent. I just haven't played spectacular. You know when you're not shooting real scores that's a combination because your mental game isn't there, you're fiddling a little here and there so you shoot a couple under, even. To shoot real low numbers you have to be in trust with your game and I haven't been doing that just because I've been working on a few things. I feel like I'm almost past that right now, what I've been working on, and hopefully I can break out of it.

Q. You've set the bar high for yourself now. You used to play world championship events. You used to go to the Masters, the Tour championship you won last year. Now you need some numbers to kind of keep all those opportunities going. How important is it to kind of get some numbers between now and whenever?

MIKE WEIR: It's important to start putting some good tournaments together now. As I said in Toronto, I feel I'm really close. I was close there except for a couple of years, 68 out of 72 holes pretty well, but not all 72 well. I'm close and striking the ball solid. I am finally starting to putt better. I feel like I'm really close. So yeah, to answer your question, yeah, I do need to have some good finishes here pretty soon. I'm only going to play about four tournaments the rest of the year. Hopefully I can start right now.

Q. What will your schedule be?

MIKE WEIR: I'm playing Kingsmill after this, Las Vegas and coming back over here for the Cisco World Match-play.

Q. Have you handed the trophy back last September?

MIKE WEIR: No. They give you a replica and you keep it for life. It's not anything to hand back.

Q. You're an ice hockey fan, I understand.

MIKE WEIR: Yes.

Q. Do you get a chance to play at all or is it too risky?

MIKE WEIR: One of the cuts I did miss this year was in Dallas, and I did get to play Saturday night. My caddie, Brennen, and I and a few other caddies, Davis's caddie and another guy Tommy Anderson, a caddie, played with a couple of local guys in Dallas. That was the only time this year I've had a chance to play. It's usually once a year.

Q. Did you think of making that your career?

MIKE WEIR: As a kid, that was a dream of mine, to play professional hockey, but as I started getting older, lack of size and lack of skill to play professionally. I love the sport but I was never good enough.

Q. What do you think of the Mount Juliet golf course?

MIKE WEIR: I think it's a great golf course. I think it's probably one of the best. I'm sure you've heard that from other guys, it's one of the best-conditioned courses we've played all year, one of the best Jack Nicklaus courses I've played. It's challenging around the greens. The par 3s are really good. Since the ball doesn't travel so far, the par 5s yardage-wise don't seem that long, but a 530 yard hole we're having a tough time reaching. The length is a little deceiving here. On the card it doesn't look long, but it's playing long. It's a good test out there. There are some tough shots out there to hit.

TODD BUDNICK: Thank you, Mike. Good luck this week.

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