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Golf for every player is always a work in progress. Mike Weir didn't win the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, but he tied for second place and made some important progress to steady his game as he prepares for the U.S. Open next week. Meanwhile, Weir's fellow Canadian, Jon Mills, equalled the low score of the day yesterday, shooting 68 and finishing in a tie for 26th.

Weir started the final round tied for second place, three strokes behind leader Mathew Goggin. Weir shot one-under-par 71, hitting plenty of solid shots but missing other shots at key moments. Kenny Perry won his third Memorial title, shooting 69 and beating Weir, Goggin, Justin Rose and Jerry Kelly by two strokes.

"I played a perfect round of golf," Perry said. "I didn't miss a shot."

Weir didn't play a perfect round, although his start suggested he might do that. He shot three-under-par 33 on the front nine, but two-over 38 on the back. Perry was 33-36. Perry finished at eight-under 280, and Weir at 282. It was Weir's best finish this year.

After parring the first hole, Weir, playing with Goggin in the final twosome, birdied the second hole from five feet. He parred the third and took his tee shot right over the flag on the fourth. Weir holed his birdie putt of about 10 feet.

Weir had pulled ahead of Goggin, who had bogeyed the first and fourth holes. Two under for the day and seven under for the tournament, Weir found himself tied with Rose.

The final round soon resolved itself into a contest among Perry, Weir, Rose, Kelly and Goggin.

Weir will surely gain confidence while realizing he still has a way to go before reaching the form of which he feels capable. That's because of those mistakes Weir made at some crucial moments. At the par-5 fifth hole, he found deep rough and had to lay up short of a creek with his third shot. He bogeyed the par-5 11th after flying the green into deep rough from 112 yards.

A player who goes on to win rarely makes such an error.

Then, on the par-4 13th hole, Weir tried to cut his tee shot, but found thick rough to the right. He saved par with his short game, but needed birdies if he were going to win his ninth PGA Tour event and overtake George Knudson as the Canadian with the most victories there.

The difference between Perry and Weir was most apparent on the 15th hole, the final par-5 at the Muirfield Village Golf Club. Perry, playing a couple of groups ahead of Weir, hit the fairway off the tee and then ripped a perfect 5-wood shot to 15 feet from the hole. He just missed his eagle putt, but his birdie gave him a two-stroke lead.

Weir needed to hit the 15th fairway to have a chance of going for the green. But his drive went into the right trees and he had to lay up. He made par, but was now three strokes behind Perry.

Still, Weir had a chance after Perry missed a short par putt on the 17th green. He needed to birdie the 17th and 18th to tie Perry. Weir's 9-iron shot finished 10 feet from the hole. The putt hung to the right. Now he needed to make two on the par-4 final hole. Good luck.

Still, Weir hit many quality shots and managed his game. His course and self-management allied to a deft short game and sharp putting defined his 2003 Masters win and marked his play yesterday. He'll need those assets and more quality shots, such as the ones he hit yesterday, at the U.S. Open.

Weir's short game is coming back, for sure. He hit a spinning wedge to within a foot of the hole at the fifth to save par. He chipped in for birdie from the fringe at the ninth. He saved par on the 12th from the front bunker. He got up and down for par on the 13th with a wedge from the fairway. He hit a super bunker shot on the final hole to save par.

Weir will now get ready for the U.S. Open. He's putting better after listening to advice from fellow PGA Tour player Steve Stricker. Stricker suggested he accelerate through the ball, thereby adding zip to his stroke. Meanwhile, Weir is making more good swings, especially with his irons.

"He looks under control," CBS analyst Peter Oosterhuis said yesterday of Weir.

Approaching the demanding U.S. Open, Weir is moving in the right direction.