Sorry guys, I’ve got to do a little crowing this morning. Local golfer Drew Weaver, who also plays at Virginia Tech won the British Amateur Championship yesterday. He is the first American golfer to win the title in 28 years.
[B][COLOR=DarkOrange][SIZE=5]Congratulations Drew![/SIZE][/COLOR][/B]
[QUOTE][B]Dream Weaver
High Point golfer caps stirring British invasion with Amateur championship crown
[I]By Steve Hanf, Enterprise Sports Writer[/I][/B]
Finally, the putt dropped and Drew Weaver could stop worrying about the big lead he almost let slip away.
“I kind of dropped my putter, bent down – I was so physically and mentally exhausted, I couldn’t believe it was over,” Weaver said Saturday after claiming the British Amateur Championship on the 35th hole of a 36-hole match-play event against Tim Stewart. “From that point to three hours later, it was a complete whirlwind. I shook so many peoples’ hands, signed so many autographs,had so many people taking pictures. It was incredible, very overwhelming, really awesome.”
The attention showered on Weaver was much deserved after he survived seven rounds of match play and two rounds of stroke play.
The High Point Central graduate and rising junior at Virginia Tech became the first American to win the British Amateur since Jay Sigel in 1979, and along with a huge trophy and heaps of prestige earned automatic berths into next month’s British Open Championship at Carnoustie, Scotland, and next April’s Masters in Augusta, Ga.
“I’m still in shock from winning,” Weaver said when reached by phone Saturday night. “It doesn’t seem real yet that I won the British Amateur and everything that comes with it.”
It didn’t seem real that Weaver and Stewart still were playing on the 35th hole of the finale at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Weaver grabbed a two-hole lead after the first 18 and then had birdies to win the sixth, seventh and 12th holes for a six hole lead with only six remaining.
Stewart, a 22-year-old who won his native Australian Amateur title, staved off defeat with a mix of great shots on his part and poor shots by Weaver.
“I had a routine up-and-down on 13 and I butchered the chip shot, totally mis-hit it, lost the hole with a bogey,” Weaver recalled. “Going to 14 I’m still thinking I’m fine, I’m inside my competitor by 15 feet – and he pours in a 30-footer for birdie.”
After Weaver’s putt “burned the lip” of the cup, he hit a bad tee shot on the 15th, recovered with a great chip and saw yet another putt just miss to allow Stewart within three holes.
“I played perfect golf for 10 out of the first 12 holes and I’m starting to get a little tired, the adrenaline only lasts so long,” Weaver said. “Tim’s getting more momentum. On the next one, I have a good two-putt and he’s at 25 feet for birdie and poured it right in the center. Never a doubt. I’m thinking, ‘What have I gotten myself into? If I lose this match 6-up, six to go it’ll be one of the worst collapses.’” Weaver said he managed to collect his thoughts on the 17th tee and hit a drive right down the middle. His second shot was in heavy rough to the left of the green, but Weaver chipped out to seven feet. Stewart, meanwhile, had a putt to win the hole and finally missed.
“I was sitting back reading a seven-footer to win the British Amateur, and somehow I calmed my nerves,” Weaver said. “I kept my head down and then saw the ball about two inches from the hole about to fall in. It was an incredible way to end the match.”[/QUOTE]
Also…
[URL=http://news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070624/NEWSREC0105/706240327][B]High Point golfer makes history[/B][/URL], Greensboro News-Record
[URL=http://www.hokiesports.com/golf/recaps/20070623aaa.html][B]Weaver wins British Amateur[/B], HokieSports.com[/URL]
[QUOTE][B]Weaver British Open bound
Demotion to caddy doesn’t bother dad
[I]By Steve Hanf, Enterprise Staff Writer[/I][/B]
One European vacation down, one to go.
Dr. John Weaver of High Point Family Practice joked that his partners at the Cornerstone Healthcare facility would have a pretty good idea of his next vacation request.
Don’t blame the doc, though. After spending the last week in England, the Weaver family now has a trip to Scotland to plan thanks to Drew Weaver’s victory in the British Amateur Championship.
Drew, the former High Point Central star who currently plays at Virginia Tech, automatically earned a spot in the British Open at Carnoustie starting July 19 thanks to Saturday’s win in the amateur event.
“We’ve traveled some, but our vacations never have taken us across the pond to Europe,” John said. “Here we go now with two trips, both golf-related. We had all these sight-seeing things planned, and we got to see a lot of Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Hopefully, we won’t see a whole lot in Scotland except for Carnoustie.”
The elder Weaver spent all week at Royal Lytham & St. Annes serving as his son’s caddie. Drew’s first experience playing links-style golf started innocently enough when he made the first cut to advance to match play. Then he started knocking off one top challenger after another before finally winning on the 35th hole of Saturday’s marathon finale.
All told, John Weaver walked 11 rounds with his son.
“Some members told me it was about a six-mile trek around 18 holes,” John said with a laugh. “I haven’t done the math, and I don’t want to. But I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Now, it’s time for a couple of flights home so the good doctor can get back to checking heartbeats and whatever else his patients need from him … “if my partners will still have me,” John said. “I’ve got a full schedule on Monday. My patients will have to bear with me, and I know they will – I’ve got a great bunch of patients.
“We’re floating here in Great Britain,” John added. “We might not need a plane to get back. This was 10 days I’ll never forget.”[/QUOTE]