In the end, Mike Weir didnt win the HP Byron Nelson. And yet he emerged from the tournament with perhaps something just as important as a first-place cheque and a trophy. Weir got a sign, an indication that all the work he put in, all the hours he spent on the range, the rehab he did after elbow surgery, the tinkering with clubs and instructors, and fighting off the naysayers who told him he was done, has been worth it. Sure it was just one tournament and it will take a few more solid performances to show that the magic has returned for good for Canadas favourite lefthander, but if nothing else, Weir can claim salvation. He knows that he can do it, play golf on the PGA Tour at the highest level. Weir led the tournament early on Sunday, rattling off four birdies in the first five holes. Bogeys at six and nine dropped him out of top spot and although he fought back valiantly at the end, his run came up just short. Brendan Todd pulled out a two-shot win with a sparkling bogey-free final round. For many, Weirs performance was a surprise. But for some time now, hes has been telling all that his ball-striking has been in form but an uncooperative putter is all thats been holding him back. At the Masters there were blips that proved what he was saying. He climbed to within a shot of the lead during the second round and he had three solid rounds at the Wells Fargo before being derailed with a final-round 77. This week, it finally worked, thanks in part to exchanging an oversized putter grip with a well-worn, thin one that was on an old putter. He finished second in Strokes Gained – Putting and first in Putts in Greens in Regulation. Despite his confidence and unwavering optimism, Weir has, at times, questioned his future during his struggles. Over the past four years, hes had doubts. There were doubts when he missed 18 straight cuts and fell outside the top 1,000 in the Official World Golf Ranking. There were doubts when he had to use up two career money list exemptions to keep playing. There were doubts when he earned a grand total of $23,312 over a two-year stretch in 2011-12. But Mike Weir never lost hope. He believed he would get back, if not to the point of winning another major then at least to where he could compete on the PGA Tour. The amount of time Weir put into his game, to trying to find an answer would wear out most professionals. And to be sure, there were a few dead ends he went down. But thats all now in the past. Weir said he has no plans to look in the rear-view mirror. "I dont think I will, to be honest," said Weir on the last four years. "Im here now and Im pushing forward. Ive been asked that question a lot, Ive answered it a lot. I am where I am now and Im pushing forward. Im not going to reflect on the past; thats history now. Im playing good golf and I want to keep that going." Still, he hasnt forgotten just how difficult this stretch has been. And as his game deteriorated after hitting a root at the 2011 Heritage, the questions increased, questions about his game and his ability to still compete. "I just knew that it was inevitable," Weir said of the constant inquiry. "I didnt take offence to it. It was matter of fact – I was playing poorly. I was trying to dig myself out of it. I didnt have any explanation for it except what got me into it, which was obviously the elbow issue, having surgery then trying to play through that and then basically being afraid to hit the ground, the bad habits I got into and probably coming back a little bit early." The bad habits piled on. One caused another and then another. At times, Weir struggled with the driver so badly, it was frightening. During one round where he shot 78, one of his playing partners told me later that if his short game wasnt all-world, Weir might have shot 90. But he stuck with it, kept working and now is finally seeing the fruits of his labour. "I dont know if my swing is that much different really," said Weir. "There are some aspects of my game, being a little older, that arent as dynamic as they used to be. But at the same time there are things that are a little better. I have a little better understanding of things. Ive learned a lot from a couple of teachers Ive used the past couple of years. I think thats helped me too." The finish provided a long list of accomplishments for Weir: His first top 10 since 2010; the first time hes led a tournament since 2007; the first time since last years John Deere that hes had four rounds in the 60s; a cheque for $745,200 (US), and a move of 100 spots on the FedEx Cup point list to 87th. While there are no guarantees, it should be enough to allow him to keep his playing privileges for the 2014-15 season. Of course all those are just numbers. What truly matters most for Mike Weir is being able to play golf and enjoy himself once again. The smile as he walked off the 18th green on Sunday was evidence of that. Bryant Reeves Jersey . - Suspended Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon has voluntarily checked into a treatment facility and seems to be doing well. Ben McLemore Jersey . Louis Blues just continue to roll -- especially against the Nashville Predators. http://www.thegrizzliesofficial.com/Auth...izzlies-Jersey/. The Flames announced Monday that Treliving, a former assistant general manager with the Coyotes, will take over the vacant GM spot in Calgary. "Im ready for this,"Treliving said. Mario Chalmers Jersey .J. Hardy finally got in on the fun Saturday, against a likely opponent. Mike Bibby Jersey . Next week, hell try to add to the list. A Stanley Cup champion as a rookie, Seguin followed that up by becoming the youngest player to lead the Boston Bruins in scoring.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss standout moments from the NHL and NBA Drafts, the Coyotes speaking frankly and FIFAs famous foam. Bruce Arthur, Toronto Star: My thumb is up to the NBA. Heres why. The NBA draft is a show about possibilities, and thats fun. Then, Thursday night, midway through the first round, Adam Silver stopped the proceedings to tell a story about a prospect named Isaiah Austin, whose career ended last week after he was diagnosed with a disease called Marfan Syndrome. Then Silver stepped up to make Austin a ceremonial pick on behalf of the entire Association. They took a moment about the cruel end of possibility, and the NBA made it beautiful. Best moment in draft history, hands down. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is up to Don Maloney, general manager of the newly named Arizona Coyotes - and yeah, that sounds weird - for his unusual honesty in explaining why the club has chosen to buy out top-line centre, Mike Ribeiro. Normally youd get a little “blah blah blah” from an NHL GM on why a player was being let go. But Maloney was more than clear here: he said the team didnt want to put up with Ribeiros behavioral issues, could not tolerate them going forward and could not have him part of the team anymore. The Coyotes, who couldnt afford lunch a year or two ago let alone buying someone out, will be paying Ribeiro $2 million a year for the next six years just to go away.dddddddddddd Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is up to one of the great sporting advances of the past decade. Baseballs expanded replay? Advanced stats? Heck, no. Im talking about the so-called felony foam world cup referees have been spraying on the field to mark the spot for free kicks and, more importantly, delineate where defenders can set their wall. This low-tech marvel, which looks like shaving cream and dissipates in a minute, eliminates time wasting and the inevitable cheating by defenders who try to creep closer to the spot. While baseball needed a replay room in New York, FIFA found an inexpensive way to literally lay down the law. The gimmick belongs in the sports hall of foam. Sorry. Dave Naylor, TSN: My thumb is up to the sons of athletes who chose their own path to make a name for themselves. Im refering to the selection of Elfrid Payton Jr. in this weeks NBA Draft, going 10th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers. Payton is the son of CFL Hall-of-Famer Elfrid Payton - better known as SWAC to some - who played for five CFL teams including Baltimore, Montreal and Winnipeg. Like recent NHL draft picks Darnell Nurse and Seth Jones - whose fathers played in the CFL and NBA respectively - Payton put his good athletic genes to use in another sport. Its always a nice story to see a young athlete follow in his fathers footsteps. 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