The chances of a Masters green jacket resting on Canadian shoulders this Sunday are the best in decades, with three players from north of the border in contention for the first time since 1968. Adam Hadwin, Mackenzie Hughes and 2003 winner Mike Weir are chasing the prestigious championship.
The 81st edition of the Masters Tournament teed off on Thursday. Here鈥檚 a look at the trio of Canadians vying to win.
Mike Weir
Weir is the biggest Canadian name on the PGA tour. The 46-year-old has spent more than 110 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rank between 2001 and 2005.
Born in Sarnia, Ont., Wier spent his teenage years playing hockey when he wasn鈥檛 on the golf course. He put down the stick and picked a driver full-time after realizing he wasn鈥檛 big enough to play hockey at a highly competitive level.
He became the first Canadian man to win a professional major championship after finishing first at the 2003 Masters Tournament. Tiger Woods presented him with his green jacket.
That victory inspired countless Canadian golfers like Hadwin and Hughes to pursue the game professionally. Weir played a practice round with his two protégés ahead of the tournament. He passed along some words of wisdom to the pair of Canadian rookies.
鈥淚t was a lot of fun for me to show them what I鈥檝e learned over the years and what I learned from Fred Couples and Mark O'Meara, guys I played with when I first got out here to play some clutch rounds,鈥� he told TSN earlier this week.
鈥淣ot panicking, that the one thing I try to say to the guys.鈥�
Adam Hadwin
Hadwin is fresh off his first PGA Tour win after capturing the Valspar Championship on March 12. That win bumped his official ranking to 46th in the world. This season he also shot an astonishingly 59 in the third round of the CareerBuilder Challenge at La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif.
Hadwin said he took every opportunity to learn the subtleties of Augusta National from Weir during their practice round while being mindful to not wear out one of his idols.
鈥淚 tried to as many questions as I could without bugging him. I know he鈥檚 preparing for a golf tournament as well,鈥� he said.
The 29-year-old was born in Moose Jaw, Sask. and lives in Abbotsford, B.C.
Mackenzie Hughes
Born in Dundas, Ont., Hughes is the 116th best in the world, and continues to climb the ranks.
He captured his first title at the RSM Classic in November by draining a long putt for par on the third playoff hole.
The 26-year-old has reportedly idolized Weir for years. The two have been known to exchange text messages ahead of tournaments. He said the opportunity to walk the hallowed course with the Masters champion was 鈥渁 dream come true.鈥�
