By Greg Robertson
ESPN Golf Online
Saturday, September 2

Details
When	Thursday-Sunday
Course	Northview Golf and Country Club, Surrey, B.C.
Par/Yardage	Par 71; 7,069 yards
Purse	$3 million (Winner: $540,000)
1999 champion	Mike Weir
Tournament record	19-under 265 (Mark Calcavecchia, 1997; Brandel Chamblee, 1998)
Television	Thursday-Friday: 4-6 p.m. (ESPN) Saturday: 5:30-7 p.m. ET (ESPN) Sunday: 5-7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

The tournament

	Hole by hole
	Hole	Par	Yards
	1	4	432
	2	4	424
	3	4	444
	4	5	590
	5	3	200
	6	4	440
	7	5	584
	8	4	410
	9	3	214
	Out	36	3738
	10	4	412
	11	3	157
	12	5	548
	13	4	415
	14	4	400
	15	4	334
	16	3	187
	17	4	448
	18	4	430
	In	35	3331
	Total	71	7069
	Key holes: The 17th and 18th are difficult finishing holes. No. 17 requires a precise drive: Play it conservative, and a left-side bunker comes into play. Clear the bunker by too far, and trees to the right come into play. Most players will come into the green from the right, which means crossing the edge of a water hazard. On the 18th, every approach must carry water, but the drive is the key. The split fairway offers a longer version to the left, but the shorter route to the right brings water into play on the drive.

It's the start of the post-major, post-Tiger tour.

After two weeks of nothing but Tiger Woods, golf fans can settle in for a long stretch without him. Not expected to play again until the Presidents Cup in mid-October, the rest of the players can take aim at a title with confidence, for a change.

The Air Canada Championship, in just its fifth year of existence, has already provided three players with their first victories on the PGA Tour. Guy Boros, Brandel Chamblee and Mike Weir all won for the first -- and only -- time. Only Mark Calcavecchia's win in 1997 broke the string of first-timers.

Weir's win last year was one of the highlights of the 1999 season. He became the first Canadian-born titleholder since Richard Zokol won the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1992, and the first to win on Canadian soil in 45 years. He also became just the sixth left-hander to win on the PGA Tour, joining Bob Charles, Sam Adams, Ernie Gonzalez, Phil Mickelson and Russ Cochran.

The win also carried Weir to the Tour Championship and a berth on the upcoming Presidents Cup squad, making him the first Canadian to earn that honor.

Weir has struggled in recent months after a terrific start to 2000. He had six top-10 finishes early in the year, but has gone through a drought in recent weeks. He'll certainly have the home folks on his side outside Vancouver, something that helped carry him past Fred Funk in the final round last year.

Weir is one of the biggest names in the field this week, with most of the top players joining Woods on the sidelines this week. Jesper Parnevik, Sergio Garcia and Lee Janzen are the biggest names in the field.

This is the first of two consecutive weeks in Canada for the PGA Tour, with the bigger Bell Canadian Open next week in Ontario.

A dozen players to watch
Robert Allenby: A two-time winner this season, Allenby can begin sharpening his game for his first Presidents Cup appearance. A captain's choice, Allenby would have made the team on his standing one week later.

Mark Calcavecchia: Calcavecchia won this tournament in 1997, setting a record at 19-under in the process. He has quietly put together a strong 2000 season, with six top-10 finishes.

Scott Dunlap: He's playing for the first time since the PGA Championship, where he kept up with Tiger Woods for three rounds before falling back on Sunday. He opened many eyes with his game at Valhalla, but he's been doing it all over the world for years.

Carlos Franco: Franco shot three consecutive 67s and a 69 last year, and that earned him third place in this event. Franco won in New Orleans earlier this year but hasn't done anything of note all summer.

Fred Funk: Funk took a one-stroke lead into the final round last year, shot a 4-under 68 and got left behind by Weir. His mediocre year showed signs of life with a top-10 finish at the PGA, and his accurate driving will be a major benefit at Northview.

Sergio Garcia: The year has been a major disappointment for Garcia, who has just one top-10 finish this year and hasn't been a factor. He's coming off a match-play win over Woods in the prime-time Battle at Bighorn. Maybe that's the boost his game needs.

Retief Goosen: The European Tour star has stayed around since the PGA Championship and NEC Invitational. He earned the final spot on the International squad for the Presidents Cup team, a confidence booster that could spark a late run of success this season.

Brian Henninger: Henninger flirted with the lead all week at the Reno-Tahoe Open before settling for fourth. The Oregon resident should feel comfortable with the Vancouver climate this time of year.

Bob May: Two weeks ago, he went toe to toe with Woods before losing a playoff at the PGA Championship. Last week, he came up one shot shy of a playoff at the Reno-Tahoe Open. His game is clicking right now, making it a ripe opportunity to win.

Scott McCarron: McCarron had his best tournament of the year last week at Reno, finishing fourth to give him some confidence leading into the home stretch of the season. Last year, he shot a final-round 61 in this event -- a course record -- to finish fourth.

Jesper Parnevik: The biggest name in the field has fought some nagging injuries all summer after an early season topped only by Woods. He won twice and contended several other times and stands fifth on the money list.

Mike Weir: He's sure to be pumped up for his first title defense in his native Canada, but Weir needs to get his game back to where it was at the start of the season. He has slipped to 32nd on the money list and needs a good finish to get back to the Tour Championship.