SANDWICH, ENGLAND -- For a moment yesterday, Mike Weir was on the British Open leaderboard for the first, and last, time all week. A birdie at the par-5 14th hole at Royal St. George's put him 4-under for his round and 4-over for the tournament. Ever so briefly, he was in 15th place, earning a spot on the big electronic board.

A heartbeat later, South African Retief Goosen bumped Weir with a birdie of his own.

Then Weir went south. He made a double-bogey at the par-4 15th and finished with bogeys at 17 and 18, putting him back where he had started the day, at 8-over.

He would finish in a six-way tie for 28th place.

"I had a good round going and found a way to mess it up again," he said, disgustedly. A similar fate befell him on Saturday when an early rally came apart on the back nine.

He was particularly disappointed in his decision to hit driver at the 15th. He hit his tee shot into a fairway bunker, 280 yards off the tee, and needed two shots to get his ball back into play, eventually making a six. In hindsight, he felt like he should have laid up with an iron off the tee.

"It was a real poor decision by Brennan (Little, his caddy) and I to hit that club there, I thought," Weir said. "It's been a learning experience for the next time we come back here."

It's unlikely the Open will return to Sandwich for quite some time and that probably suits Weir just fine.

"I've only played a few (Open Championships) but this course is a lot different than any of the other ones I've played," he said.

MIKE WEIR'S DAY

Par out 443 543 544-36

Weir 443 543 444-35

Par in 434 454 344-35-71-284

Weir 333 446 355-36-71-292