Weir alright to take Nissan Open

Mike Weir carded a final-round level-par 71 to hold off a spirited late challenge from Shigeki Maruyama and defend his title at the Nissan Open in California.

The Canadian left-hander had a seven-shot lead over Maruyama when he birdied the third hole but the Japanese golfer chipped away before finally catching Weir at 17 under with a birdie at the 166-yard 16th hole.

Both golfers parred the 17th, but Maruyama sent his drive on the 18th into the right rough while Weir split the fairway.

Maruyama could not reach the green with his second shot, leaving the ball 10 yards short in the rough before chipping to the back of the green.

Weir pulled his second shot on to a hillside left of the pin but nearly holed his 45-foot chip.

Maruyama missed his 12-foot par putt but Weir sank his for the top prize.

“I hit a good chip at 18,” said Weir, who had a 72-hole total of 17 under to finish on 267.

“Maybe the rain actually helped a little bit. I was able to slide (the club) a little further under the ball than maybe I would have.”

It was the first win of the season for Weir, the reigning Masters champion.

“Right after Augusta, I played very well,” he said. “I had three third-place finishes in a row. I played OK but not great.

“So I was ready to start playing some better golf. I had been working with my coach to figure things out a little.”

Maruyama had predicted on Saturday that he would not be able to reach the 18th green in the final round if the weather was cold and rainy and it came true.

“On the last hole, I was trying to hit the ball farther because it started raining and I thought I wouldn’t be able to reach the green,” Maruyama explained.

“So I wasn’t expecting to hit the ball that hard, but it happened under pressure.

“That was the biggest mistake of the whole week.”

Rain fell sporadically yesterday, slowing things down as players were allowed to lift and clean their balls.

Australia’s Stuart Appleby shot 66 to grab sole possession of third place at 14 under 260.

John Daly birdied the final two holes to cap a 67 and placed fourth for his second straight top-10 finish.

Hank Kuehne finished a further stroke back.

Tiger Woods closed with a superb seven-under 64 for a share of seventh place with Jay Williamson and JJ Henry.

The world number one has now posted three top-10 showings in as many events this season.

Weir joined Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Mac Smith, Paul Harney and Corey Pavin as the only repeat champions of this tournament, which began in 1926.