Drew Weaver did not really know Ryan Clark, but in a way, the Virginia Tech golfer will be playing this week for the former Augusta-area resident as much as he will for himself.

Virginia Tech golfer Drew Weaver said that every time he plays with the school logo on, he is playing for the whole Hokie community, including those who were killed April 16. (Jackie Ricciardi/Staff)

He will be playing for all 32 people gunned down at the college last year in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

"Every time that I go out with the Virginia Tech logo on my bag or my shirt or my hat, I'm going to be playing for all of our students and our faculty and everybody involved with the university,'' Weaver said. "Obviously, those who passed on April 16 last year are going to be right in the forefront of who I'll be playing for."

The shooting, which left 33 people (including the shooter) dead, is brought up often to the current British Amateur champion. He doesn't shy away from the topic, and he vividly recalls what happened that morning.

Weaver was in his 9 a.m. accounting class when an e-mail was sent out campuswide about the initial shootings two hours earlier. After the warning, chaos broke out as 23-year-old student Seung-Hui Cho began the second series of shootings.

"We really didn't know what was going on," Weaver recalled. "We thought it was a bomb threat and heard the shots go off and it was a terrifying few seconds, probably five or six shots in a really short span, and everyone pretty much freaked and ran as far as we could to get away from the scene."

Clark was one of the first two people killed. The 22-year-old Martinez resident was a month away from graduating and was in his fifth year in the school's marching band, the Marching Virginians.

Clark was a triple graduate in psychology, biology and English.

Weaver said he knew of Clark and often saw him around campus. He said everything that he heard about his fellow Hokie was all good.

"He was a very well-balanced guy," Weaver said. "There were so many stories coming out (of the shootings), but I definitely do remember that guy was just a wonderful, wonderful kid and had a lot going for him."

Letitie Clark said it makes her feel good to hear the positive things that people continue to say about her son.

"It touches my heart that people are still remembering Ryan," she said Monday, adding that she had heard of Weaver. "I think all Virginia Tech people are like family."

The outpouring of support across the nation helped the school cope with the tragedy. It also gave a boost to the golf team, led by Weaver.

Six days after the massacre, the team came from behind in the final round of the Atlantic Coast Championship to gain a share of the league title with favored Georgia Tech. Weaver sank a 35-foot putt at the last hole to help create the tie.

Two months later, Weaver became the first American since Jay Sigel in 1979 to win the British Amateur, which punched his ticket to Augusta.

It didn't take him long after winning to realize where he would be the first full week in April the following year.

"I won the match on the 17th hole, and it was a pretty big crowd, and we are all kind of walking into the clubhouse for the trophy ceremony, and I kind of looked over at my parents and said, 'I'm playing in the Masters. This is crazy,' " said Weaver, who has played Augusta National a number of times since getting his invitation in early December.

After winning the British Amateur, his thoughts immediately turned to those who were not around to cheer him on, and he dedicated his win to the shooting victims. He said that the school is still trying to heal and that the support it has received has helped greatly.

"To see how well our university has bounced back from such a terrible event is inspiring to anyone, I would think," said the Virginia Tech junior. "It's just really powerful to be a part of that and to see, you know, how much support there is for one another on campus. It's really great."

Reach Mike Wynn at (706) 823-3218 or mike.wynn@augustachronicle.com.