Mike Weir Bio
Michael Richard Weir, CM OOnt (born May 12, 1970) is a Canadian professional golfer. He currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking between 2001 and 2005. He plays golf left-handed and is best known for winning the Masters Tournament in 2003, making him the only Canadian man to ever win a major championship.
Born and raised in Sarnia, Ontario, Weir built his career on a natural left-handed swing inspired by his early years playing hockey. After a standout amateur career and a long professional journey, he became one of the most successful Canadian golfers of his generation. His Masters victory remains a defining moment for Canadian golf.
Early Life and Background
Michael Richard Weir was born on May 12, 1970, in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in the Sarnia suburb of Brights Grove and learned to play golf at Huron Oaks Golf Course, where he was coached by Steve Bennett. Like many Canadian boys, his first sport was hockey, and he was a natural left-handed shot, which carried over into his golf game.
Weir began playing golf left-handed because his godfather’s son played left-handed and handed down a partial set of spare clubs, including three woods and four irons. From his earnings as a caddy and pro shop worker, he later purchased a left-handed wedge. At age 12, he won a junior tournament and used the prize, a complete set of irons, to replace his original set. While working at Huron Oaks, he met Jack Nicklaus at age 11 during an exhibition, an encounter that would later shape his career.
Weir gave up hockey in his early teenage years when he realized he would not grow past average size and that golf was his best sport. He had been advised that he might become an even better golfer if he switched to playing right-handed, but in 1984, he wrote to Nicklaus for advice. Nicklaus quickly replied, telling him, “If you are a good player left-handed, don’t change anything—especially if that feels natural to you.” Weir never considered switching again and still keeps the framed letter at home.
Path to Professional Golf
Weir attended St. Michael Elementary School in Brights Grove and St. Clair Secondary School in Sarnia, where he won the Ontario Junior Championship in 1988. He later graduated from Brigham Young University, majoring in Recreation Management. At BYU, he was an All-American selection in 1992 on the Second Team.
During his amateur career, Weir won the Ontario Amateur Championship in 1990 and 1992. He tied for second at the 1991 Canadian Amateur Championship and finished clear second in the same event in 1992. These results established him as one of the top amateur players in Canada and set the stage for his transition to the professional ranks in 1992.
Mike Weir Career
Early Career (1992–1998)
Mike Weir turned professional in 1992 and began his career on the Canadian Professional Golf Tour, where he won three events. He also played some early events on the Asian PGA Tour. In 1998, he first reached the PGA Tour but lost his playing privileges due to inconsistent performance. He requalified by being medalist at the final Qualifying School tournament, earning another opportunity at the highest level.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (1999–2003)
Weir’s first PGA Tour win came at the 1999 Air Canada Championship in Surrey, British Columbia. The victory made him the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event in Canada in 45 years. He shared the 54-hole lead at the 1999 PGA Championship with Tiger Woods but finished tied for 10th. In 2001, he won The Tour Championship in a playoff.
Weir began the 2003 season in impressive fashion, winning two tournaments on the West Coast Swing. He first won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in Palm Springs, California, and then followed with a win at Riviera Country Club near Los Angeles, at the Nissan Open. In April, he won the 2003 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, one of the four major championships, defeating Len Mattiace in a sudden-death playoff.
At the time of his Masters victory, Weir became the second left-handed golfer to win a major, following Bob Charles, who won the British Open forty years earlier. He is a right-hander who plays golf left-handed, a trait he shares with fellow major champion Phil Mickelson. In June 2003, he tied for third at the U.S. Open, which moved him to a career-high third in the Official World Golf Ranking. He also won the Lou Marsh Trophy for outstanding Canadian athlete of the year.
Continued PGA Tour Era (2004–2015)
In February 2004, Weir won the Nissan Open for the second consecutive year, joining Ben Hogan as one of a select few players to win back-to-back titles at the event. He was the sixth player in Nissan Open history to notch back-to-back wins and the first since Corey Pavin in 1994 and 1995.
Weir went more than three-and-a-half years before his next PGA Tour win. Working with Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer on a new swing produced positive results, including a tie for eighth at the Open Championship. He was selected by International team captain Gary Player for the 2007 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club, where he beat Tiger Woods in singles. That same year, he won the Fry’s Electronics Open in Arizona, his eighth PGA Tour victory, tying George Knudson for most PGA Tour wins by a Canadian.
Weir’s 2010 season ended early with a torn ligament in his right elbow, and he struggled to regain form in 2011 after surgery. In 2012, he activated his European Tour membership and used a special exemption to regain his PGA Tour playing privileges for 2013. In 2014, playing on a top 50 career money list exemption, he nearly earned his first win in seven years at the Byron Nelson Championship, finishing two strokes behind Brendon Todd. In July 2015, he withdrew from the RBC Canadian Open and took an indefinite leave of absence from competition.
PGA Tour Champions Era (2020–Present)
Weir turned 50 in May 2020 and joined the PGA Tour Champions. In May 2021, he won his first tournament on the PGA Tour Champions, the Insperity Invitational in The Woodlands, Texas. It was his first worldwide win since 2007, aside from the five-man 2010 Telus Skins Game. He has continued to compete on the senior circuit, drawing on decades of major-championship experience.
Notable Events and Milestones
Weir’s 2003 Masters victory remains the most significant achievement of his career, making him the only Canadian man to ever win a major championship. His match-play win over Tiger Woods at the 2007 Presidents Cup and his eight PGA Tour titles, tying George Knudson, are also defining milestones. He is also a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame (2009) and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame (2017).
Mike Weir Career Wins
Mike Weir has accumulated a total of 14 professional wins across multiple tours. His career victory total includes eight PGA Tour wins, three Canadian Tour wins, one PGA Tour Champions win, and two other professional victories, all spanning his career from the early 1990s through 2021.
PGA Tour Highlights
Weir’s eight PGA Tour wins include the 1999 Air Canada Championship, the 2001 Tour Championship, the 2003 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the 2003 Nissan Open, the 2003 Masters Tournament, the 2004 Nissan Open, and the 2007 Fry’s Electronics Open. His first PGA Tour victory came in 1999 in Canada, and his most recent was in 2007 in Arizona. He holds a PGA Tour playoff record of 3–2.
Other Wins and Performances
Weir won three times on the Canadian Professional Golf Tour in the early 1990s before reaching the PGA Tour. In May 2021, he won the Insperity Invitational on the PGA Tour Champions, his first worldwide win since 2007 aside from the 2010 Telus Skins Game.
Mike Weir Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Mike Weir was raised in the Sarnia suburb of Brights Grove, Ontario, by his parents, though their names are not publicly documented in available sources. He was a natural left-handed athlete from a young age, and his godfather’s son provided him with his first set of left-handed clubs, which helped launch his golf career.
Weir has been married twice, first to Bricia Weir and later to Michelle Money. He is divorced and currently resides in Sandy, Utah, with his two daughters.
2025 Season Performance
Mike Weir is expected to continue his career on the PGA Tour Champions in 2025, building on his transition to the senior circuit that began in 2020. His 2021 win at the Insperity Invitational remains his most recent PGA Tour Champions victory, and he has continued to be a respected presence on the senior tour. As one of the most successful Canadian golfers in history, Weir brings decades of major-championship experience to every event he enters.
Heading into 2025, Weir remains active on the PGA Tour Champions, where he draws on his strong competitive record and his legendary left-handed swing. While he has not added a senior major championship to his resume, he continues to compete at a high level and remains an ambassador for Canadian golf.
Weir’s outlook for 2025 includes continued participation in PGA Tour Champions events, with opportunities to add to his victory total. His experience in major-championship pressure, including his historic 2003 Masters win, makes him a formidable competitor on the senior circuit.