Breadcrumb Trail Links
The text from Mike Weir usually comes a month or two before the Masters, formally setting up the annual Canadian practice round at Augusta National.
Published Apr 08, 2026 • 3 minute read
Mike Weir looks on during a practice round before the Masters tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 7, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)Article content
AUGUSTA, Ga. — The text from Mike Weir usually comes a month or two before the Masters, formally setting up the annual Canadian practice round at Augusta National.
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“It’s always great. I feel like that’s kind of the tradition,” Nick Taylor said after Tuesday’s round. “The weather is awesome. The golf course is somewhat receptive, but knowing the forecast, it’s going to only get firmer. It’s always just a great stroll around Tuesday morning.”
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It’s been more than 20 years since Bright’s Grove native Weir’s victory, but he’s still dishing out advice on Augusta National to his countrymen.
“I’ll pick anyone’s brain and take anything,” Taylor, 37, said ahead of his fourth Masters start. “Any advice I’ll take. Any little thing you can have that will help you out in this scenario is always helpful.”
With just Corey Conners and Taylor joining Weir in representing Canada in the field, recent PGA Tour winner Gary Woodland joined the group on Tuesday. Most of the strategic discussion was about where the best places to miss are around Augusta’s tricky green complexes, as well as Weir’s favourite lay-up locations on par-fives to offer chances for birdies.
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“I feel like I’ve learned a lot over the years and picked his brain a lot,” Conners said. “Just some friendly reminders. Some of the angles, if you get out of position on a few the holes, where might be the best place to try and get up and down from.
“He’s been great to me and all the other Canadians and encouraging us and instilling confidence in us.”
Conners is making his ninth start at the Masters and is coming off an eighth-place tie last year, his fourth top ten in eight trips to Augusta National.
“I love the golf course, love how it sets up,” Conners, 34, said. “I feel like my iron play has been on a number of those years and that’s an important aspect of the game. You need everything to be working to contend here, but the iron play has been sharp and that’s definitely helped me.”
With a sunny forecast for Masters week, players are expecting the course to firm up and offer the sort of challenge that could narrow the list of contenders to the very best ball-strikers in the world; a group that Conners is firmly entrenched in.
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“The way the golf course is playing it’s going to be a treat to be playing this weekend,” he said.
Sundays have not been kind to Conners here, breaking par just twice in the six times he has made the cut.
For Taylor, the issue has been making it to Sundays at majors. He mercifully ended a nine-major missed cut streak last year at the Masters. With five wins on the PGA Tour, Taylor has earned reputation as a clutch player, something he hopes to have a chance to prove is also true at major championships.
“I have to get in that position on Sunday. That’s the part. “Taylor said. “I’ll worry about Thursday’s tee shot and kind of go from there. I’ve gained some experience over the last few years, and it would be an uncomfortable situation that I can have some comfort in. But, it would be a different animal than what I’ve realistically been in, but I can definitely draw on past experiences to help me.”
For now, Weir’s wait for a second Canadian to join him at the Masters champions dinner will continue.
“We’ll see. It’s easier said than done,” Conners said. “He’s cheering for us, we know that.”
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