With no Tiger in the field, Weir poised for run at British Open

SOUTHPORT, England — Mike Weir played well at the U.S. Open last month (a tie for 18th) and is coming off his best finish at the British Open, a tie for eighth last year at Carnoustie. So with Tiger Woods not playing this week at Royal Birkdale, could this be the year for another breakthrough for the Utah resident who won the 2003 Masters? He'll get a good idea when he tees off today at the Royal Birkdale course, which another Utah resident, Johnny Miller calls "probably the greatest course in the British Isles" aside from the fact that it doesn't have the tradition of other courses such as St. Andrews. Weir will probably be finished with his round before most Utahns get out of bed as his tee time is at 2:31 a.m. MDT. He is playing with Colin Montgomerie and Boo Weekley in a group just behind Phil Mickelson, so he'll have... [read full story]