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BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

September 3, 2008

Mike Weir

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Mike Weir, thanks for joining us, the runner-up at last week's Deutsche Bank Championship. Well, you're playing with Vijay and Sergio this week. I'm sure it's going to be an exciting pairing. Maybe some opening comments about a good run for you so far in the first two events of the playoffs.
MIKE WEIR: Yeah, it has been a nice run. You know, I had a great shot in Jersey, had some opportunities down the stretch and didn't quite capitalize. And then last week I played great. You know, putted really well all week, but there was a guy that really got the flat stick going on Sunday. You know, sometimes that happens in golf.
But I felt like -- actually finishing second, the way the golf course played on the weekend, outside of Vijay's score, you could tell how difficult it played amongst the last few groups. You know, still doesn't make it any easier. I wanted to win that tournament, and I'm looking forward to the pairing this week. I think obviously you're going to have to play great golf the next two playoff events to catch Vij, but I'm not thinking that it's over. I'm going to work hard to give him a fight.

Q. In the back of your mind where does the whole points thing fit in? You play in a tournament this week but there's kind of a second thing going on. Does that even come into your thinking?
MIKE WEIR: I've been really trying to keep that on the back of my mind, not pay attention to it as much. I think it's easy to be playing out there and look at the board and they have the projections on the scoreboard, and you make a couple birdies in a row and you've gone from 30th place to 10th place, and you're on the 5th hole or something. You can get wrapped up in all that stuff and lose your focus.
I've tried myself -- I think it's fun for the fans to see that, and they can watch projections, but for us players, I think I've done the best just not paying attention to it and trying to focus just like I would any other tournament.
I think when you're closer to the cut line, when you're battling to make the cut and you look up, that's probably when it starts to play in your mind a little bit, knowing that if you would have missed the cut in the first couple weeks how much you could have dropped or if you make the cut how much you could move up.

Q. Do you think it would be a good idea if the TOUR were to solicit input from everybody who's played in the playoffs about ideas they might have and look for the best ones and sort them out?
MIKE WEIR: Yeah, I'm sure the policy board will have meetings about this and whether they need to rectify a few things or not or if they like the way the system is. You know, it's only the second year. I'm sure there's going to be some revisions. But I think they did get more movement, more excitement, which I'm sure they wanted.
You know, it's just like -- I relate it to hockey, where you have an eighth seed that barely makes the playoffs and you get a hot goalie and you can go in and beat the No. 1 seed and go all the way to the Stanley Cup. You can get on a great playoff run and all of a sudden go ahead and win the FedExCup Playoffs. I think that's pretty fun.

Q. How is your goalie?
MIKE WEIR: My goalie is good right now. Good save percentage (smiling).

Q. Not to put you on the spot, but if you had one thing that you would like to see maybe tweaked a little bit, can you think of anything?
MIKE WEIR: Yeah, you know, I'd have to give that some thought. I'm not sure. You know, I think Padraig's situation is obviously unique. I think that's been talked about a lot. You would hate to see him not playing well enough and not be in the TOUR Championship. You know, there's going to be some of that. But I'd have to give that some more thought.

Q. You said there's been a lot of locker room talk about Padraig's situation?
MIKE WEIR: Well, I think, just the fact that what kind of a year he's had, he's such a great year and won a couple majors. I think for everybody's sake, for the fans, you want to see him playing in one of your premier events at the end of the year. There's been a little talk about at that.

Q. Is that a little different than maybe being the Ottawa Senators and getting knocked out in the first round?
MIKE WEIR: That's true. I don't know; as I said, that's open for discussion. I think that's maybe something to talk about and mill about with the commissioner and policy board and directors. They can talk all about at that if they feel like there needs to be that. I don't know if there does. Maybe that's just sport. Maybe that's the way it should be. You don't play well at the right time, maybe that's the way it should be.

Q. What do you think about the course in general? Does it look like it's going to be harder than most courses you play, about the same?
MIKE WEIR: I got a late start so I didn't get out there yesterday, just came out and practiced a little bit in the afternoon, so I didn't get around. Brennan, my caddie, went around, said it was significantly longer than when we were here in 2001. I heard it was probably going to play a little soft, so the course will probably play pretty long.
I remember playing a practice round in 2001 and remembering the greens a little bit, that they were very difficult. I think it'll be a great challenge. I watched some of the senior event I remember in 2004, and I think the guys were a long ways away from the hole a lot, you catch strong slope on the greens, and lag putting will be key, as well.

Q. Would you mind reliving that week in '01 since you brought it up, what you wound up doing that week?
MIKE WEIR: Well, it's one of those you'll remember the rest of your life, where you were. Actually Tiger and I were playing a practice round early in the morning, and Sid Wilson and Commissioner Finchem drove out in a cart and told us what was going on, and we went inside, and from there everybody was just glued to the TV to see exactly what was going on. With the airspace and everything, luckily enough that the people here were great enough to lend us all the courtesy cars and drive them wherever we needed to go. I remember myself and Dean Wilson and Calc, we all kind of carpooled. I was going to Salt Lake City, Dean was going to Vegas, and Calc was going all the way to Phoenix, so we kind of all drove in a line so we could pull over and get some lunch and make our way home and get with the families.
It was obviously -- that said, you just kind of remember where you were and what was going on. Still pretty vivid in my mind when I remember it.

Q. You guys made it in a day or was it longer?
MIKE WEIR: I think we got up, yeah, really early the next morning and headed out and made it home. I think it was -- for me I think it was 15, 16 hours, something like that.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the challenge of catching Vijay? You're playing really well, but he's playing a little bit better than everybody. Can you talk about that mentality?
MIKE WEIR: Well, yeah, and he played great the last two weeks, but this is a new week. I just want to keep doing the same things I'm doing and hopefully put myself in contention to really challenge him. He is playing great golf, and you can't do much about that. You can't do much about any other player playing great. You can control yourself.
I just want to get out there and try to get in contention again, try to win, and see where at the end of this week where that would land, where he would finish if I happened to win.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Mike Weir, thank you.

End of FastScripts

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