2020 December Memorabilia Auction ~ ~ Ends Dec 13th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/14/2020
Bobby Locke's 1938 Augusta Invitational Tournament (Masters) Player Invitation with Envelope
Following on the heels of rave reviews for Bobby Locke's play in exhibitions contested in South Africa with Walter Hagen and Joe Kirkwood, Locke captured the 1937 South African Open. Arthur D'Arcy (A.D.) Locke was given the moniker "Bobby" because of his boyhood admiration for Bobby Jones. It was Jones' club the Augusta National in it's infancy that mailed an invitation on February 9th of 1938 to the 20-year-old South African amateur to compete in play at the fifth offering of a tournament known as the Augusta Invitational Tournament (Masters). Despite Hagen and Kirkwood's requests for Locke to come to America to pursue his golfing career, Locke's parents refused to send the young prodigy overseas. Locke would turn pro one month later in March of 1938. His famed skills on the golf course, especially on the putting green continued to advance. In large part due to World War II, Locke would not compete in the Masters to 1947. He found his greatest career success in the British Open as a four time champion which paved the way for his World Golf Hall of Fame induction. Returning to the year 1938, it was the first year that the tournament came to be known officially as the Masters. In 1934 Co-Founder of the Augusta National Clifford Roberts had wanted to call the event the Masters, but Bobby Jones vetoed such a designation on the grounds that it was too presumptuous. However in 1938, Jones relented and the name Masters is used officially for the first time that April. A historical moment in golf as the event we know and love today grew to be known officially as the Masters. Offered in this lot is the desired, seldom seen player invitation and stamped mailing envelope to compete in the 1938 Masters, in visually pleasing condition for display with standard center compacting crease on invitation and a corner chip and cancellation markings on envelope, the answer to many collectors prayers as only 42 players competed in the 1938 Masters.
Thank you to all of our worldwide bidders and consignors for your support throughout the year. Please enjoy our final auction of 2020, it will come to an end this Sunday, December 13th at 9pm EST. Stay safe and be well, happy bidding! – The Golf Auction
AUCTION CLOSING RULES:
Place your bids now as this auction will end at 9:00pm ET Sunday, December 13th with EXTENDED BIDDING to follow. When placing INITIAL bid, you must agree to the terms BEFORE confirming your bid. All items that have received multiple bids in the auction will remain open until no items have received a bid within a 15 minute time period (at 10pm EST, the countdown clock will be adjusted to a 5 minute interval). Place your bids now!
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**If extended bidding goes pass midnight ET, The Golf Auction reserves the right to close the auction at any time. We recommend bidders place their maximum bids prior to that time. Thank you**
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