Newton Citizen

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - Boo Weekley's having too much fun at Harbour Town to worry about chasing history.

Weekley tries for three wins in a row at the Verizon Heritage when the PGA Tour event tees off this week. But if the folksy, self-proclaimed 'hick' is feeling any pressure to succeed here, he didn't show it Wednesday.

'If I win, I win,' Weekley said, a wide grin on his face. 'It ain't like I ain't going out there to try. If it happens, man, it's going to happen. You know what I mean? There's no sense forcing the issue. Just go out and enjoy life and enjoy what's in front of you.'

That's been Weekley's credo long before the former chemical plant worker from the Florida Panhandle became a PGA Tour champion and U.S. Ryder Cup folk hero.

Now, he can achieve what no one else has on architect Pete Dye's treacherous, maddening masterpiece.

For many here, it's a week to catch their breath after the churning stomachs and rising pressure at the Masters - if they didn't take the week off.

Masters winner Angel Cabrera isn't here. Neither are the two players Cabrera beat in a playoff, Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell.

Tiger and Phil? Not here either.

In all, six of the world's top 20 players are here. Just two of the top 11 Masters finishers - Steve Flesch and Jim Furyk - are playing.

Weekley wouldn't miss this tournament for the world, especially after the past two years.

He broke through for his first tour win in 2007, chipping in on the 71st and 72nd holes to outlast Ernie Els.

Weekley doubled up last spring, his second career victory coming by three strokes over Aaron Baddeley and Anthony Kim.

Should Weekley threepeat, he'd be the tour's first to make the same tournament his first three PGA Tour victories since Leonard Gullett, who won the Wisconsin PGA in 1929, 1933 and 1934, according to Dave Lancer of the PGA Tour.

That doesn't include winners of the majors before the PGA was formed in 1916.

Weekley would also inch closer to Tiger Woods' run of four straight wins at the Buick Invitational from 2005-08, the tour's most recent run of same-tournament success.