Weir eager to end 54-year Canadian Open drought

By Steve Keating

TORONTO (Reuters) - After battling punishing conditions at the British Open, Canadians Mike Weir and Stephen Ames face another daunting challenge in trying to end a 54-year drought for home players at the Canadian Open.

No Canadian has claimed the national championship since Pat Fletcher in 1954, leaving Weir, Ames and 17 other Canadian contenders trying to wrestle the title away from back-to-back winner Jim Furyk at the Glen Abbey golf course starting on Thursday.

Weir, the 2003 Masters champion, came tantalizingly close to ending the dry spell the last time the Canadian Open was staged on the par 71, 7,273-yard Jack Nicklaus designed layout in 2004 but came up just short after losing to Fiji's Vijay Singh in a playoff.

"I remember (in 2004) that everybody was very excited," Weir told reporters. "I was in contention, and Canada was playing for the gold in the world (hockey) championships. So there was a different atmosphere than a normal golf tournament.

"But it was a special feeling.

"I was really disappointed. What can I say? I've had plenty of those in my career. That was right up there with a number of them.

"You live and learn and go on. That's four years ago. I don't think about it much anymore, and I'm going to try to win this week."

Furyk, the highest ranked player in the field at number 10, is bidding to become the first player to win three consecutive Canadian Opens and his first title of the season, but has found little success at the Abbey finishing no better than a tie for 22nd in four previous starts.

The 38-year-old American, however, has been in superb form. He followed up a third place at the AT&T National with a fifth place finish last Sunday at the British Open.

American Anthony Kim can join Kenny Perry as the PGA Tour's only other three-time winner this season with a victory in Canada.

Kim, a winner at the AT&T National and the Wachovia championship, is enjoying a breakout campaign sitting fifth in the FedEx Cup standings.

Twice U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen will make a rare appearance in Canada as he looks to end a three-year PGA Tour victory drought.

The South African's only other visit to the Canadian Open was an unmemorable one in 1995, finishing in a tie for 77th.

(Editing by Justin Palmer)