For Va. Tech's Weaver, Tour Is a Cut Above

Drew Weaver considers the struggle part of his growth. The frustration he feels when he misses a cut in a professional event serves as motivation to achieve more. He tells himself that, someday, his drives will consistently find the fairway. Someday, his iron shots will stick on the green and his putts will fall without fail.

"It's definitely different for me than it is for the tour pros, because they're playing for their livelihood," Weaver said. "They're playing to make money, and I'm playing to be able to say I made the cut."

Until he does, his education continues. Weaver is the only notable local golfer who will not play the weekend at the AT&T National. After receiving a sponsor's exemption and playing Congressional Country Club this week for the first time, the Virginia Tech rising senior shot a 1-over-par 71 yesterday to finish the tournament at 6 over, four strokes over the cut.

The AT&T National represents his fourth missed cut at a professional event. He missed the weekend at last year's British Open, the Masters in April and the Memorial in May.

Outside of professional competition, he has achieved success. He won the 2007 British Amateur Championship, becoming the first American since Jay Sigel in 1979 to do so. Entering this past spring, he was Virginia Tech's second career scoring leader.

"It takes time to figure out how to play, to not necessarily tee it up on Thursday to try to make the cut, but to try to win," Weaver said. "The way to avoid missing cuts is to get in contention."

A double bogey on the par-4 sixth hole hurt his chances. His drive curled right of the fairway, burying his ball in thick grass. His second shot skipped past a bunker before dribbling into a pond right of the green. By the time he teed off at the seventh, his weekend hopes had vanished.

"You have to believe that you can beat the other guys," said Victor Velasquez, Weaver's caddie. "If you don't, then you're going to feel bad. He feels he belongs in the PGA Tour. He'll be here next year."

Weaver's learning curve was visible. When his drives flared off-target, he swung his arms in the air. When birdie putts streaked past holes, he clenched his fists and cringed.

He said he'll be better for experiencing it all. For him, each tournament builds his confidence, and with repetition, he improves.

"At any tour event you play in, you gain an incredible amount of experience," he said. "This is no different. It's a great event, and it's on a major championship golf course. Going into another amateur event will seem a little easier."

Meantime, other locals have set themselves in position for the third round. Olin Browne, who attended St. Albans, stands at 1 under after shooting a 70. Fred Funk, a Takoma Park native, sits at 1 under after finishing with a 69.

"I sure would like to make some putts," Browne said. "If I could make some putts, I think I could be dangerous, but that's the name of the game."

Said Funk: "The deeper I'm getting into the tournament, the better I'm hitting it. I didn't hit the irons quite as well as I did [Thursday]. The driver was better today."