Mike Weir to Be Inducted Into Canadian Golf Hall of Fame

- PGA Tour standout to become Hall’s 64th honoured member; induction to take place as part of 100th Playing of RBC Canadian Open -

Oakville, Ont. (RCGA) – The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) are proud to announce that Mike Weir has been elected as the 2009 inductee into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

With his induction, the Bright’s Grove, Ont. native becomes the 64th honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. Weir also becomes the 20th male professional golfer in the Hall of Fame and matches George Knudson with the most victories by inductees who have played on the PGA Tour.

"I am extremely honoured to share a place in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame with the many names who have done so much for golf in Canada," said Weir. "I have so much that I still want to accomplish both on the course and in helping to continue to grow the game in Canada, but this honour will always rank as one of the greatest of my career. I'd like to thank the RCGA, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, and Canadian fans for this honour and their support."

Weir will officially be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame as part of the weeklong festivities for the 100th playing of the RBC Canadian Open taking place July 20-26 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

“Canada’s Golf Hall of Fame continually seeks to recognize and celebrate distinction from golfers, contributors and supporters of the game and with his career accomplishments to date, Mike Weir most certainly has earned the distinction,” said David Shaw, Chair of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. “2009 will mark a special year in Canadian golf history and we believe there is no better time to celebrate Mr. Weir’s achievements than during the 100th playing of our national Open championship.”

ABOUT MIKE WEIRThus far, throughout his illustrious playing career, Mike Weir has cemented himself as one of Canada’s most notable professional golfers. On April 13, 2003, he touched the hearts of Canadians from coast-to-coast, capturing golf’s coveted Green Jacket after winning The Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. For his outstanding play in 2003, which included three wins on the PGA TOUR, Weir was awarded the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy by Canadian journalists as the outstanding Canadian athlete of the year. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of his first PGA Tour victory at the Air Canada Championship in Vancouver, the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event on Canadian soil since Pat Fletcher in 1954. Weir’s many other accomplishments include representing the International Team at The Presidents Cup on four occasions (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007) as well as representing Canada at three World Cups (2000-2002). The 38 year-old has eight PGA Tour victories which ties him with Canada’s George Knudson for the most wins on the Tour. Also a veteran of the Canadian Tour, Weir won the BC Tel Pacific Open and the Canadian Masters. As an amateur, Weir won the Canadian Juvenile, the Ontario Amateur and the Ontario Junior and Juvenile Championships as well as finishing runner-up in the Canadian Amateur in 1992, weeks before turning professional.ABOUT

THE CANADIAN GOLF HALL OF FAME & MUSEUMThe Canadian Golf Hall of Fame celebrates the outstanding individuals of Canadian golf from players, both amateur and professional, to the builders, architects and others who have been fundamental to the evolution of the game in this country. Operated by the Royal Canadian Golf Association, the Hall of Fame, museum and library are open to visitors to discover more about the game and the inductees. For more information please visit www.cghf.org.

ABOUT THE ROYAL CANADIAN GOLF ASSOCIATIONThe Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) is the governing body of golf in Canada, representing 377,000 members at 1,600 clubs across the country. Recognized by Sport Canada as the National Sports Organization (NSO) for golf in this country, the RCGA’s mission is to grow participation in and passion for the sport while upholding the integrity and traditions of the game. The RCGA conducts programs and services to help shape the future of golf in Canada. High performance athlete development, CN Future Links, Canada’s national junior golf program, turfgrass and environmental research, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum, Rules of Golf and amateur status, handicapping and course rating are only some of the initiatives the association leads for golf in Canada. In addition, the RCGA conducts Canada’s most prestigious golf championships. The RBC Canadian Open and CN Canadian Women’s Open attract the best professional golfers in the world, while regional junior and national amateur championships showcase the best in Canadian golf. For further information on what the RCGA is doing to support golf in your community please visit www.rcga.org.