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.<\/p>\n
Published Apr 08, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
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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<\/p>\n
AUGUSTA, Ga. \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s always great. I feel like that\u2019s kind of the tradition,\u201d Nick Taylor said after Tuesday\u2019s round. \u201cThe weather is awesome. The golf course is somewhat receptive, but knowing the forecast, it\u2019s going to only get firmer. It\u2019s always just a great stroll around Tuesday morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s been more than 20 years since Bright\u2019s Grove native Weir\u2019s victory, but he\u2019s still dishing out advice on Augusta National to his countrymen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll pick anyone\u2019s brain and take anything,\u201d Taylor, 37, said ahead of his fourth Masters start. \u201cAny advice I\u2019ll take. Any little thing you can have that will help you out in this scenario is always helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s tricky green complexes, as well as Weir\u2019s favourite lay-up locations on par-fives to offer chances for birdies.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve learned a lot over the years and picked his brain a lot,\u201d Conners said. \u201cJust 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been great to me and all the other Canadians and encouraging us and instilling confidence in us.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the golf course, love how it sets up,\u201d Conners, 34, said. \u201cI feel like my iron play has been on a number of those years and that\u2019s an important aspect of the game. You need everything to be working to contend here, but the iron play has been sharp and that\u2019s definitely helped me.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe way the golf course is playing it\u2019s going to be a treat to be playing this weekend,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sundays have not been kind to Conners here, breaking par just twice in the six times he has made the cut.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to get in that position on Sunday. That\u2019s the part. \u201cTaylor said. \u201cI\u2019ll worry about Thursday\u2019s tee shot and kind of go from there. I\u2019ve 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\u2019ve realistically been in, but I can definitely draw on past experiences to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n
For now, Weir\u2019s wait for a second Canadian to join him at the Masters champions dinner will continue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see. It\u2019s easier said than done,\u201d Conners said. \u201cHe\u2019s cheering for us, we know that.\u201d<\/p>\n
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