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By Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents

Audio: Weir's post-round interview (1:07)

BETHESDA, Md. -- At the beginning of the week, Mike Weir rated his game a six on a 10-point scale.

After Saturday's 67 at Congressional, though, the Canadian upped his assessment to an eight. And if he can make up four strokes on Stuart Appleby and win the AT&T National come Sunday, then Weir just might find himself a perfect 10.

Weir has played his way into contention at 5-under 205 and he is looking for his first top-10 since a solo sixth at the 2006 PGA Championship. He has come from behind to win six of his seven PGA TOUR titles.

Weir got off to a fast start Saturday with birdies on two of his first three holes. He gave a stroke back with a three-putt at the fifth hole -- one of only two bogeys he's made in the last 36 holes -- but more than compensated with an eagle at No. 16.

The diminutive Weir hit his drive on that 579-yard par 5 about 316 yards. He had a sidehill lie and chose a rescue club over his 3-wood, then drew the ball into the green. The ball settled 12 feet from the hole, and Weir went on to make the putt.

Weir hit 13 of 18 greens on Saturday, but the real key has been the driver. After hitting just four fairways in a first-round 72, Weir hit 10 on Friday and all but one on Saturday.

"It was a solid round," the 2003 Masters champion said. "I drove the ball really well. I guess that's the biggest thing. ... You need to hit a lot of fairways. First day I didn't, but the last couple of days, I did. I hit a lot more fairways and that's really been why I've been scoring a little bit better."

Former Masters champion Mike Weir is still seeking his first top-10 of the year. (WireImage)

Weir began to revamp his swing back in November, enlisting the aid of Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer, a pair of instructors based in Philadelphia. The two also work with TOUR winners Aaron Baddeley, Dean Wilson, Will Mackenzie and Eric Axley.

"I've been striking the ball pretty consistently most tournaments and I am starting to feel more comfortable with it and feel like I'm playing the game a little better now instead of thinking so much," said Weir, who tied for 20th at the U.S. Open in his last start..

"But I'm making some putts, and that's the biggest thing. I made a number of nice par putts the last couple of days, which you have to do to keep your round going, and I think that just kind of feeds into the rest of your game.

"You can be a little more patient and you don't have to fire at every flag when you feel better with your putter, and I think that's the biggest difference why I'm scoring a little better this week is because I'm seeing a few putts go in."

Take the Memorial Tournament, for example. Weir was hitting it so well at Muirfield Village, he rated his swing a 10 that week but he couldn't buy a putt and ended up missing the cut.

"There's certain weeks you just feel like you can do no wrong and you feel like you have it," Weir said. "That's like with anything. I think whatever coach you're working with or whatever, you have weeks where it feels really, really good and you have other weeks where things are not quite clicking as well as you would like.

"So that's sometimes how it works. But the game is crazy. If you could have watched me play at the Memorial ... I was hitting it so good and I missed the cut. It was bizarre. I just could not make a putt. And sometimes when you get hitting that good, you start firing at flags and the round can get away from you."

Weir is confident enough this week, though, that he's been able to play aggressively, hitting lots of drivers off the tee and firing at the pins on Congressional's soft, receptive greens. He's not worried by the task at hand, either.

"You know, of the seven tournaments I've won on TOUR, I think six of them have been from behind," Weir said. "I've done it with that strategy, just playing my game and hopefully going out there and playing a good, solid round and see what happens."

Weir currently stands 113th on the FedExCup points list, so he could use the boost of 4,5000 that would come with a victory on Sunday. He'd love to make a move in the International Team standings for The Presidents Cup, too.

The biennial team competition will be played in September at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Weir's native Canada. He has played on three previous International Teams, but currently ranks 19th in the standings. The top 10 at the end of the PGA Championship qualify and Gary Player will have two Captain's Picks.

"I'm thrilled whether I make the team or not, it's great for golf in Canada to have the Presidents Cup," Weir said. "Obviously I really want to be on the team, and I'd like to just play my way right on these next five weeks I'm playing leading in before the team is picked."