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By Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.com Correspondent

MONTREAL, Canada -- It wasn't just about playing the best player in the world.

Mike Weir wasn't in Tiger Woods' shadow on Sunday. (Lecka/WireImage)

Inside The Numbers

Mike Weir's records this week

Match type W L T Foursomes 0 0 1 Four-Ball 2 0 0 Singles 1 0 0 Total 3 0 1

• Points earned: 3.5

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• Sunday's Singles capsules

Or carrying the country -- and in a way his team -- on his shoulders.

Or staying focused in an crazy loud, wild atmosphere that no one but perhaps Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson can truly understand.

This day -- and this match --was about Mike Weir.

It was about a man who had to field questions about just why he was picked for the International Team in the first place. About the man who lobbied so long and hard for The Presidents Cup to come to his country. About a small-in-stature guy who had Woods slip a green jacket on his shoulders in 2003 and, the following year, Weir slipped the green jacket on Mickelson.

About a man who persevered through a comeback after reworking his swing and his training; a man once ranked third in the world who just made a statement that he's ready to jump back onto the short list at every major.

When Woods failed to chip-in at the 18th hole Sunday afternoon at Royal Montreal, he handed his club to caddie Stevie Williams and walked straight to Weir with an outstretched hand. The roar was deafening.

"I was glad I gave them something to cheer about at the end,'' Weir said.

And to think that six days ago people were still questioning whether or not the match should even happen.

Weir has always been a national passion. He's Wayne Gretzky with a golf club. And, yes, he grew up playing hockey. And now, he's a national hero.

What they saw was the moment of a lifetime.

The Americans were going to win the Cup, the only question was by how much. But Weir vs. Tiger? A close contest maybe. A 1-up win was a far-fetched dream.

"To play Tiger, he's the best there is,'' Weir said.

To beat him? With the country watching?

International Captain Gary Player shook his head.

"Lord, can you imagine the pressure on him?'' Player said of that final hole. " . . .This could turn his life around.''

In four days, Weir validated Player's selection of him as a Captain's Pick and all that hard work the past few years. All he did was lead his team with a 3-1-1 record, shoulder the job as genial host and beat the best player in the world.

In a comeback.

"For the pressure that he had all week, it was pretty phenomenal how he had to deal with that and the way he played,'' Woods said. "I mean, not a lot of people could actually have dealt with the things he had to deal with all week, and expectations, the pressure, and you know, questioning whether or not he should be picked on the team or not. There's a lot of different things that were going on.

"And the way he came out and played this week and represented all of Canada was impressive.''

Weir earned the right to face Woods and took it to him. He went 3-up and hung on until the ninth hole when he missed a 6-footer for birdie and the chance to go 4-up. Ditto for the 10th hole when he two-putted from 9 feet.

Two halves was all Woods needed. He drilled it to 6 inches at the 11th and cut Weir's lead to 2-up. He put it to 32 inches at the next hole and suddenly Weir was 1-up. Then he squared it at 14 when Weir missed a 5-footer for par and went 1-up when Weir hit his approach into the water at 15 and conceded that hole.

"I just kept telling myself I'm playing well.'' Weir said. "I kept telling myself to be patient . . .. And once he got ahead, I wasn't going to let him finish it off early. I was going to fight until the end.''

So Weir stuck it to 10 feet at the 17th and one-putted. Tiger two-putted from 12 feet and it was all square going into 18.

Weir's drive found the fairway, Tiger's found the water. But even then Tiger gave himself a chance trying to chip in for par to force Weir to two-putt from 15 feet. When Tiger's chip came up 6 inches away, he conceded Weir's putt and the match.

"But I expected him to chip that in at the end there, and he almost did,'' Weir said. "That's just Tiger, and he's a class act.''

So is Weir. He was focus, calm and in control all day. But he did crack a smile at the 15th when he found the water on his approach, rolled his pants legs up and went in to hit out. And, yes, he thought about American Woody Austin, who took a dive into the water Friday at the 14th.

"I don't know how far Woody's ball was down but my ball, I could see the top of the ball,'' he said. "I thought I could get it out. I knew maybe I could get it on the green and have a putt for par and come flying out of there.

"It wasn't as deep in the water as Woody, and maybe I'm a little more athletic than Woody. I didn't lose my balance in there, so that was good.''

Yes, everyone laughed.

Weir was still smiling hours later. And he admitted that it all got to him just a little bit toward the end.

"When I made the putt at 17, I wanted to battle not just for me, but for everyone who's been out here supporting me,'' he said.

And, yes, there was a lump in his throat at the closing ceremonies. And, once again, to think that we ever questioned whether he should face Tiger.

"I think Gary just believed in the way I was playing this week and I believed in the way I was playing,'' Weir said. "We needed some motivation being down so much. We thought if maybe I could possibly get off to a really good start and see me doing some good stuff today, that would maybe spur on the rest of the guys. ''

And now? Well, The Presidents Cup just may be a springboard for 2008.

For the man who wants to get back into that world top 10. For the man who wants another major.

For the little guy who came through for his team, for his country and for himself.