MONTREAL — Mike Weir would have been left out if the Presidents Cup had been played in any other country but Canada. Ten spots removed from one of the 10 automatic spots on the International team, the slumping Canadian was even a bit worried that Gary Player might still pass him over for one of his two captain's picks.

Luckily, Player wasn't about to sacrifice the home-crowd advantage and set himself up for a week of criticism from the Canadian fans and media, so he added Weir and hoped the left-hander would right himself at Royal Montreal.

The Americans' 19Z\x-14½ victory aside, it ended up even better than Player and Weir could have dreamed, with the Canadian finishing an inspired five matches with a performance that rivals his 2003 Masters win.

On a perfect autumn Sunday on colorful Ile Bizard, Weir won the last two holes to beat Tiger Woods to the delight of the adoring fans who crammed into the bleachers and pressed against the ropes, waved flags, cheered and chanted.

"I told him I was proud of how he handled himself," Woods said. "He had to carry an entire country on his shoulders."

Weir wasn't sure if the Masters was still his sweetest moment.

"It's right there with it," said Weir, who had the International team's best record at 3-1-1.

Woods was 1 up with two holes to play, but Weir made a 10-foot birdie putt to win the 17th. With the match all square and Weir safely in the 18th fairway, Woods — playing the hole for the first time in five matches — pulled his tee shot into a pond.