Jim Furyk, Mike Weir: Cup Competitions Deliver Friendships, Memories and Excitement

“The first time I stepped back on property knowing I was captain, I guess well over a year ago, some of those memories, I guess, came back and made me reflect on how big the Presidents Cup has become since 2007,” said Mike Weir, International Team captain for the Presidents Cup.  “The infrastructure of everything is so much bigger now. Shows the growth of the game and shows how well the Presidents Cup is doing and growing.”

Mike Weir is a golf hero to many in Canada because he won the Masters and because he defeated Tiger Woods in singles in the 2007 Presidents Cup. That victory was huge for him, but the team didn’t win, and he said that left him feeling a little hollow.

Mike Weir and U.S. Team captain Jim Furyk have known each other for decades.

“We've been friends for a long time, same age, played some college golf together, our whole careers together,” Furyk said.

Both agree that the most spine-tingling Presidents Cup moment for them was the 2003 Presidents Cup in South Africa.

“I think watching Tiger and Ernie and not even participating,” Weir said.

“That was a nerve-racking day,” Furyk added.

“It was just, Tiger makes that putt in the dark and Ernie makes it on top of him. Talk about intensity,” Weir added. “I just couldn't believe what probably those guys were going through in that moment. That was, to me, the most intense thing that I've been part of in this event.”

“That was a heck of a moment. I'll say that,” Furyk said. “I've probably never been that nervous on a golf course. Like I said, we weren't hitting a golf shot. We were just watching at the time probably the two best players in the world. So, cool moment”.

In the end, U S. captain, Jack Nicklaus, and International captain, Gary Player, called the PGA Tour Commissioner, Tim Finchem, and they all agreed it was a draw.

Both captains hold Jack Nicklaus in the highest regard, so being around him, especially when they were younger players, was a thrill.

“The greatest thing for me about these events -- there's so many wonderful things about the Presidents Cup, the Ryder Cups-- but it just brings together so many different generations,” Furyk noted. “I have guys that are on my team that are very similar age to my kids, and I've also shared a lot of time with Jack Nicklaus, and have pretty much spanned about a 60-year gap in golf. To be able to bridge those gaps and those generations has been wonderful, but Jack's been my idol.”

Weir agreed.

“Obviously, Jack for me as well,” Weir chimed in. “For those of you who don't know, I wrote a letter to Jack when I was young lefty, and there wasn't many lefty TOUR players. I thought maybe I should switch to right-handed, and he said stick to left-handed.”

Weir took the letter to the Memorial Tournament, Nicklaus’ event. 

“He's always gotten a kick out of that,” Weir said. “They've been wonderful to me, he and Barbara, and just such a class guy.”

And of course, Mike Weir could not have a conversation about golf icons without mentioning Gary Player.

“Getting to know him through the Masters, being around him as a captain in South Africa for the first time, and being here in 2005 as well and 2007,” Weir recalled. “So, three times a captain.”  

So, as they assemble their stats guys and enjoy what everyone is calling comfortable team clothing, the time for stress is coming.

“It's just an extremely emotional week as far as there's ups, there's downs. The U.S. Team gets on a run, then the International Team gets on a run. It's kind of a roller coaster ride all week,” Furyk explained.

The players eat a lot, he mentioned, refueling. That's good as far as he is concerned. His plan is to remind them that it’s a marathon. Staying energized and hydrated is important.

‘It's a week long, and make sure that you save some energy for the end and pace yourself on the way,” he said.

“That's definitely what was running through my mind, is just the emotional ebbs and flows that happen throughout the course of the week,” Weir agreed. "But it's a long week and handling those moments, I'd say, is different than maybe a stroke play event, guys going out there -- just there are more intense moments quickly.”

The International Team is still talking about how Ernie Els brought them together by making the new shield to represent all the countries that are included.

Min Woo Lee has cut “I N T” into his hair. It's just above his right ear and can be seen when he takes off his cap.   

For the U.S. side, one good sign is that Patrick Cantlay is wearing his hat.

First set of picks happens on Wednesday afternoon. And then things start to unfold rapidly.

Historic Note: Royal Montreal has some real history. It is the oldest golf club in North America, although, physically, it has moved twice since it was founded. It was created by eight men in 1873, and in addition to being the oldest, it has the distinction of having the first female member on the continent when it invited Mrs. William Wallace Watson, aka Florence Stancliffe, to join in 1891.