2014 Spring Golf Memorabilia Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/10/2014
Tiger Woods Signed 1994 U.S. Amateur Course Flown 17th Hole Flag
The initial defining moment of Tiger Wood's career came at the 17th hole at the Tournament Players Club-Sawgrass Stadium course on the 35th hole of match play in the 1994 U.S. Amateur. Tiger staged a comeback victory that bordered on impossible. He was five down with 12 holes to play in the 36-hole final match, three down going into the final nine. At the 16th Woods' birdie evened the match. Then the true magic happened at 17 the infamous island green, the signature hole at T.P.C. in Ponte Vedra, Fl.
Woods' tee shot on the par 3 landed in a nearly impossible place-short siding the right of the flagstick in a placement no one dared attack. The ball first hit just four paces from the water's edge. The ball spun into the fringe, took a soft bounce into the rough and spun back onto the collar just past pin high and no more than three feet from the water. His playing partner Tripp Kuehne, who had blitzed T.P.C. in the morning round for a 66 which setup his big advantage over Woods, would say of the miraculous Tiger tee shot at 17 "You don't see to many pros hit it right of that pin," "It was a great gamble that paid off". The ensuing putt, which fell for birdie, was in the 14-foot range. Afterwards Tiger couldn't even remember hitting the putt or the famous fist-pumping celebration that followed, "I was in the zone," he said. His conceded par victory on 18 gave Tiger the 1994 U.S. Amateur title making him the youngest winner of the oldest golf championship in the U.S. The 17th hole miraculous birdie was just the push forward that Tiger would need to set him on pace for his record breaking career. Also on the 17th hole that day the World was introduced to what would become Tiger's signature move throughout his career, the "fist-pump".
Offered in this lot is one of the most significant pieces from Tiger Woods' career to ever come to auction. The actual course flown flag which was used on the 17th hole during Tiger Woods 1994 U.S. Amateur triumph. It originates from the collection of David Eger who was in charge of the match that day as the Senior Director of Rules and Competition for the United States Golf Association. As is a long standing tradition at U.S.G.A events used course flags are often retrieved by officials and autographed by the contestants before being dispersed to high ranking officials and dignitaries. In this case Eger was the recipient of what would become the historically significant 17th hole flag. It bears the sharpie signatures of both contestants in the '94 U.S. Am, Tripp Kuehne and Tiger Woods (who has placed his (Tig Wods)abbreviated signature which is time period consistent with his 1994 penmanship). This flag which contains its original plastic cylinder mounting displays wear which is consistent with such mounting and course use. This lot offers the best-of-the-best for historians of the game and Tiger collectors.
Flag dimension: 20" x 14"
James Spence Authentication(JSA) has reviewed this signature, and their letter of authenticity comes with this lot.
In order to bid in extended bidding you must place a bid on the lot before 9pm on auction closing day. The Golf Auction's Spring Auction will end in two sessions on April 10th and April 13th, 2014. Session 1 (Lots 1-400) will end on April 10th, 2014 at 9:00pm EST with extended bidding to follow. Session 2 (Lots 401+) will end on April 13th, 2014 at 9:00pm EST with extended bidding to follow. Get your bids in before the session ends.
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