Canadian Mike Weir holds up his trophy after winning the Nissan Open for the second time in a row at Riviera Country Club on Sunday. (AP/Chris Carlson)

CREDIT: (AP/Chris Carlson)

Canadian Mike Weir moved up two spots to No. 4 in the latest world golf rankings Monday after successfully defending his title at the Nissan Open. The 2003 Masters champion from Bright's Grove, Ont., also won kudos for the way he hung on for the victory at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Sunday. Weir, 33, led by seven strokes with 15 holes to play but eventually needed a brilliant chip to save par at No. 18 for a one-shot victory over hard-charging Shigeki Maruyama of Japan. "Weir Hangs Tough," was the headline in the Toronto Star. "The Shot of a Champion," added the Toronto Sun. The Canadian left-hander is known more for coming from behind than hanging onto a lead. But he was up to Maruyama's challenge Sunday. "Weir reacted the way one would expect from a reigning Masters champion," wrote the New York Times.

Said Los Angeles Daily News columnist Steve Dilbeck: "If last year was a coming-out party for Mike Weir, you'd better prepare for a Canadian Mardi Gras this season. Better reserve the big hall, buy the Dom Perignon, book the Stones. . . . Get used to it, he's going to be around a while. Going to be among the game's elite." Weir earned $864,000 US Sunday and moved past two American players, Jim Furyk and Davis Love III, into fourth place in the world rankings with an average point total of 7.67. Love is right behind him at 7.41. The top three positions remain unchanged with American Tiger Woods in top spot for the 237th consecutive week with 13.19 points, ahead of Vijay Singh of Fiji at 10.21 and South Africa's Ernie Els at 9.02. Maruyama moved up 13 spots to No. 22. Weir also moved up two places to No. 18 in PGA Tour career earnings, with winnings of $14,217,074. Woods leads with a bankroll in excess of $40 million.

The Nissan Open was Weir's seventh win on the PGA Tour, one fewer than Canadian legend George Knudson. Weir plans to play in this week's Accenture World Match Play Championship in La Costa, Calif., where he will be one of the No. 1 seeds, before taking close to three weeks off. His next outing will be the Tournament Players Championship that starts March 18. Woods, who finished seventh at the Nissan, is the defending Match Play champion. Weir has tied for 17th three out of the last four years at the World Match Play. There are more hints, meanwhile, about what Weir plans to serve at the Masters for the Champions Dinner. "I've been kicking around a few ideas," Weir told the Miami Herald recently. "My mom cooks some awesome Italian food. My wife is Mexican, and I love that. But Italian food and Mexican food is probably not a good combination. I'll probably have to pick one or the other." CP.