From Tragedy, Weaver Makes New Memories

"The weekend before we came over, I shot 64-64 on my home course [High Point Country Club], the course record," Weaver said. "That definitely got my attention. I started to make some putts, and I took that into the Amateur. Then in four days of practice at Lytham, I just started feeling real comfortable. Never having played links golf, I was really surprised how good I felt, because it just seemed so natural."

His week began with 36 holes of stroke play to qualify for the match-play portion of the competition. He shot 69-70, with four birdies on his final nine holes to make the cut and, just as important, "that was a huge confidence booster knowing that when I had to make a putt, I did."

Weaver clearly was the underdog in the 36-hole final against Stewart, the 6-foot-6 Australian Amateur champion, but he was 2 up through the first 18 holes and pushed to a 5-up lead through the first seven holes in the afternoon. When his 3-iron to the 196-yard 12th hole landed five feet from the cup and he made the birdie putt, Weaver took a 6-up lead with six holes to go, needing only to halve a hole to win.

But the victory did not come easily. Weaver bogeyed 13 and 15 and Stewart began draining putts to win holes: a 35-footer at 14, then a 25-footer at 16 to cut the lead to 2 up.

"That last putt was a little scary," Weaver said. "The crowd was starting to get into it, and I kept telling myself, 'You're 2 up, two to go, stay positive.' "

At the 17th, Stewart had a 20-footer for birdie and just grazed the edge of the cup for a conceded par. After a third-shot chip, Weaver had an eight-footer for par and the win. "I told myself to just calm down, make a good stroke. I did not want it to go to 18. I took a lot of deep breaths. I looked up with the ball about six inches short and heading right center. I prayed it into the hole, and when it dropped, I can tell you I was mentally and physically spent. Totally."

Life also has been a blur ever since. The win made him exempt for the British Open and next year's Masters. He can now skip local qualifying for the U.S. Amateur and next year's U.S. Open, and a number of sponsor's exemptions to PGA Tour events also should be available until he turns pro, probably after the 2009 U.S. Amateur at Congressional.

After his victory at Lytham, the Weavers returned to High Point for a celebratory party at their home, then came back a week later so that Drew could play in the Scottish Open. He shot 75-70 last week and missed the cut by three strokes, then came to Carnoustie to practice for his first British Open.

"I just want to play as well as I can," Weaver said. "It would be a great chance for me to help make the Walker Cup. If I can somehow put aside all the distractions, I think I can make the cut, but that's not the goal. My goal is to get my name up on the leader board. You have to think that way. I always try to think that way."