By Tim Schmitt
LEWISTON — Drew Weaver was considered one of the favorites to win the 51st Annual Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club.
That’s a little different than his recent appearance in the U.S. Open, where Weaver came in with little fanfare.
“It’s much different. It’s kind of fun to be under the radar at those tour events, but if you play well, your profile increases,” Weaver said Friday. “When you come to an event like this there are more expectations put on you and more people watching you. But that’s what golf is about — learning how to deal with those things.”
Weaver handled that experience well, finishing with a 69 in the opening round and heading into the clubhouse as the leader of the event at Bethpage Black. He made the cut and finished in a tie for 40th.
The Virginia Tech product is still in the hunt for the Porter Cup, entering today’s action five strokes behind the leaders. And he said the experience at the U.S. Open and previous trips to the British Open and the Masters have helped him stay focused.
“The experience is the most valuable thing. You can’t put a price on playing three majors. It’s helped me because you come to an event like this and you don’t have the same pressure,” Weaver said. “Now that I’ve played in the U.S. Open and made a cut and made big putts under pressure, those are the kinds of things that will only help me down the road. It gives you a great sense of confidence.”
Weaver said the experience at the U.S. Open was surreal, and he’s tried not to let the incident
“It’s one of those things you have to pinch yourself over. But I’ve tried to do a good job of staying in the moment and just playing golf. As simple as that sounds, that’s why I try to do.”
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Although the increased number of local golfers haven’t made a mark on the leaderboard, they have changed the size of the Porter Cup crowds.
For example, former NFCC groundskeeper John Edwards took a double bogey on No. 13 Friday en route to a 4-over-par 74, but he had a contingent of over 50 fans following him throughout the day. The Grand Island resident is six-over for the tournament.
“The crowds gave been great,” said Dr. Sal Menante, the general chairman. “Wednesday’s crowds were good for an opening day and today was good before the rains came. Having local players in the field makes a big difference with that.”
Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.
