A golf ball that Tiger Woods handed to a nine-year-old spectator during his historic 1997 Masters victory has sold at auction for $64,124. The seller had kept the souvenir in his possession for 26 years.
The 1997 Masters Victory
Tiger Woods was 21 years old when he secured his first major title at the 1997 Masters. He achieved a 12-stroke margin of victory, setting a tournament record, and became the youngest player ever to win a green jacket. This triumph marked the first of five Masters victories in his career.
A Bogy and a Special Gift
During the final round of the tournament, Woods recorded a bogy on the par-4 fifth hole. According to sports.yahoo.com, Washington Times reporter Barker Davis witnessed the moment when Woods stopped on his way to the sixth tee to hand a ball to nine-year-old Julian Nexsen of Greenville, South Carolina.
Nexsen was attending the tournament at Augusta National alongside his father and family friends. After speaking with the father and son immediately following the incident, Davis mailed Nexsen a copy of the newspaper article documenting the interaction.
The family framed the newspaper clipping together with the golf ball, tournament badge, and the Sunday pairings sheet. Nexsen maintained the display in his home for more than two decades.
Auction and Provenance
The ball appeared on the block at Golden Age Auctions on March 27, 2023, opening with a bid of $500. After attracting 53 bids, the auction closed during Masters week with a final price of $64,124.40.
While the final price remains well below other memorabilia—such as Woods’ “Tiger Slam” irons, which fetched $5.1 million around the same period—sports.yahoo.com noted that the auction house emphasized the item’s unique origin. Golden Age Auctions stated that unless Woods or his caddie, Fluff, intentionally retained a ball from that historic final round, this piece stands as the only confirmed golf ball from the final round of Woods’ inaugural major championship victory. Nexsen, who was 35 years old at the time of the sale, also signed a declaration swearing to the authenticity of the ball.
