Island Packet Verizon Heritage 2008 Coverage | Harbour Town, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island, SC

Let's play "what if," a game that presents assumptions with the answers limited only by imagination.Today's topic: What if Boo Weekley's second consecutive triumph in the Verizon Heritage propels him to a place on this year's United States Ryder Cup team?Before replying, consider how serious the competition has become. The Europeans' domination in recent years has elevated the intensity on this side of the Atlantic, and the U.S. pros have become targets of ridicule.Could Boo, the self-styled country boy, be worthy of a place on the team?

The only thing that didn't change was the unassuming country boy from the Florida Panhandle who slipped into the tartan jacket.Boo Weekley successfully defended his Verizon Heritage title Sunday, shooting an even-par 71 at Harbour Town Golf Links for a 15-under-par total and a three-stroke victory over Anthony Kim (71) and Aaron Baddeley (69)."This win," Weekley said, "it does mean just as much to me as the first one did."But it came in starkly different fashion.A year ago, Weekley entered the final round two shots and three places behind 54-hole leader Jerry Kelly.

Tanglewood Country Club in Milton, Fla., might not be as finely manicured as Harbour Town Golf Links, and it might not be as tight anymore, either, after hurricane winds knocked down some trees a few years back.But as Boo Weekley has demonstrated in each of the past two Verizon Heritages, the course he grew up playing -- his folks have a house along the sixth fairway -- is a terrific training ground for success on Hilton Head Island's Pete Dye masterpiece.With his low ball trajectory and ability to bend irons, it's no surprise Weekley held on Sunday to capture his second Heritage title

It's not that a red, plaid coat fits Jim Furyk's taste in clothing. But at this point, he doesn't care -- that tartan jacket would feel awfully comfortable."I'd really like to put one on," Furyk said. "It'd feel nice."For the third time in four years, Furyk fell just short of getting that chance at Harbour Town Golf Links. After finishing second in 2005 and 2006, Furyk's 2-under 69 on Sunday gave him a fourth-place finish at this year's Verizon Heritage."There's a handful of tournaments on tour I've been real close to winning that I have not," Furyk said.

When I was getting ready Sunday morning, I was thinking about how this was going to be the final chapter to my enchanted memoirs, and I decided there was going to be a Part II, because Boo was going to win. This was the final chapter for this year, but starting next year, there will be a new chapter.What a wonderful tournament. Win or lose, either way, Boo would have come away from this tournament as a winner because of how the whole tournament has embraced him.

On the eve of the biggest day of his life as a professional golfer, Anthony Kim wasn't sure he was ready for the occasion.The pressure, the crowds, the nerves.

Sunday contenders Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink each ran into trouble on the back nine within sight of each other.Furyk, playing the par-4 13th, hit his approach shot short of the green, up against the cypress-plank facing of a wrap-around bunker. With almost no room for a follow-through, Furyk rammed his bunker shot into the wood facing, and the ball popped into the air and on to the green, 6 feet from the pin. He then made his putt to save par.Playing a group ahead, Cink hit his tee shot on the par-3 14th into a deep pot bunker left of the green.

A blue lapel pin shaped like a puzzle piece may be the lasting image of the 40th Verizon Heritage.They were everywhere -- on lapels, sleeves, hats and shirts.We learned from Ernie Els, the top-ranked player in the field, that the puzzle piece stands for autism awareness, and the desperate need to fit more pieces of the autism puzzle together.Els used our stage to tell the world about his autistic son, Ben.

Let it never be said Fred Funk isn't ambitious.The 51-year-old has a unique goal for this season, as he splits his time between the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour -- he wants to earn $2 million on each tour."I can't really compete in the FedEx Cup, and I can't really compete in the Charles Schwab Cup because I'm diluting myself so much," Funk said after missing the cut at the Verizon Heritage on Friday. "That's the biggest reason I set my own individual goal."It won't be easy.

Boo Weekley is a self-proclaimed "redneck" from the backwoods who would rather be in a tree stand or on a bass boat than on a golf course. Anthony Kim was born to Korean immigrants and developed an insatiable appetite for golf at an early age.Weekley wears camouflage to blend in. Kim wears a shiny belt buckle to stand out.And yet they've somehow forged a friendship."Boo and I have become pretty good friends," said Kim, who at 12-under par is three shots off Weekley's lead heading into the final round of the Verizon Heritage. "Every time he opens his mouth, I start laughing.