Tiger Woods’ Master-winning golf ball makes $64,124 at auction

A golf ball Tiger Woods gave to a young fan during the final round of his victorious 1997 Masters tournament has sold for $64,124, reports Golden Age Auctions.

The ball was given to nine-year-old Julian Nexsen by Woods himself after he bogeyed the fifth hole.

The Titleist ball has ‘Tiger’ stamped on it and the bidding began at $500 when Nexsen put it up for auction on March 27, the auction site said.

Woods won his first major title in the 1997 Masters tournament with a record margin of 12 strokes at age 21.

“Unless Tiger himself or his caddie Fluff intentionally saved a ball from this historic final round (which we doubt), this may be the only confirmed golf ball from the final round of Tiger Woods’ first major championship victory,” says Golden Age Auctions.

“Dozens of people” witnessed the moment Woods handed the ball to Nexsen, according to the auctioneers. It was also featured in the Washington Times newspaper the next day.

Nexsen has signed a legal declaration certifying the authenticity of the golf ball and the story of his final round interaction with Woods.

Woods withdrew from this year’s Masters due to injury before the resumption of the third round, saying he had reaggravated a tissue inflammation that causes pain in the heel.

Golf predictions have the odds stacked against Tiger as it is uncertain whether he will be able to play at Oak Hill Country Club from May 18-21, where he was next scheduled to participate in the PGA Championship, an event he has won four times.

In November last year, Heritage Auctions said a signed Woods ball sold for a record $186,000.

“Woods hit a hole-in-one with the ball on his professional tournament debut in 1996.”