TARGET WORLD CHALLENGE: MASTERFUL ANONYMITY CELEBRITY PROVES NO HASSLE FOR MAJOR CHAMPION WEIR.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

THOUSAND OAKS - As Mike Weir walked off the ninth green at Sherwood Country Club on Wednesday, a young boy asked for an autograph.

Weir continued to walk along the cart path, so the boy yelled again:``Davis! Davis!''

He finally had Weir's attention.

``You don't know who I am?'' Weir said laughing. ``Davis (Love III) is about a foot taller than me.''

Weir may have won the Masters this season but that hasn't meant he's any more recognizable. He's plenty famous in golf circles as the left-handed Canadian who had a brilliant season.

He had 10 top-10 finishes and won three tournaments, including a thrilling playoff victory in the Nissan Open and a title at the Bob Hope Classic.

Weir puts the finishing touches on a spectacular season in the Target World Challenge, which begins today at Sherwood. Weir's 2003 golf accomplishments were so noteworthy he was named Canada's male athlete of the year, an award typically reserved for hockey players.

But Weir is ready to return to his home outside Salt Lake City to ski and relax with his family.

``I need some time off,'' he said. ``Growing up in Canada, golf was a summer sport. I'm used to taking a nice break in the offseason. This year, it will only be three weeks. Last year, I had almost three months off. I'm really looking forward to the time off ... I'm ready for this year to end.''

Weir has precious little time to reflect on how just about everything went right as he finished fifth on the PGA Tour money list with $4.9 million. Weir said he'll evaluate that season and make some adjustments.

He can reminisce with his boyhood idol, Wayne Gretzky, this week. Weir and his caddie, Brennan Little, are staying with Gretzky - an avid golf fan - at his Thousand Oaks home.

``It has been a great year,'' Weir said. ``There were a lot of special moments, obviously winning the Masters and the way it happened, making a big putt like that on 18 to get into a playoff. Also, the way I started the year, birdying the last three holes to win the Hope and making a nice putt in the first playoff hole to win the Nissan Open. It's been a fun year, a pretty consistent year throughout. Hopefully, I can keep building on it and move forward. I think in the next few weeks, I can finally have a chance to sit down and realize how special it was.''

Weir has plenty to cherish. There were the tournament titles, the four third-place finishes - one of which was at the U.S. Open - and his improved play from 150 yards and in with his wedge.

But he was most pleased with his performance in the four majors.

``That was a goal of mine to play better in the majors,'' Weir said. ``Realistically, I had a good chance to win three of them.''

Weir had a good chance to win plenty of tournaments. He was third four times and missed just one cut - at the BellSouth Classic, the week before the Masters.

Weir and his group even won Wednesday's pro-am. Amateur Glenn Kendall, a Minnesota resident, was thrilled to be paired with Weir.

``He was my first pick in my fantasy golf draft, so I won,'' Kendall said. ``I've always followed him. I think he's a great golfer. He was so good this year. He has no weakness.''

Except, perhaps, in the celebrity department.

Jill Painter, [phone]

jill.painter(at)dailynews.com

PAIRINGS

--9:50 a.m.: Mike Weir, Robert Allenby

--10 a.m.: Nick Price, Fred Couples

--10:10 a.m.: Davis Love III, Darren Clarke

--10:20 a.m.: Tiger Woods, Jay Haas

--10:30 a.m.: Kenny Perry, Padraig Harrington

--10:40 a.m.: Ben Curtis, Shaun Micheel

--10:50 a.m.: K.J. Choi, Chris DiMarco

--11 a.m.: Vijay Singh, Justin Leonard

CAPTION(S):

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PAIRINGS (see text)