One Of Gary Player’s Claret Jugs Just Sold For A Mindblowing Figure At Auction

One of Gary Player’s Claret Jugs, awarded for his 1974 win at The Open, has sold for $481,068 at auction. This trophy, a replica awarded to winners of the Major after they return the original Claret Jug, stands 19 inches tall and is 90% the size of the original. Player, who also won The Open in 1959 and 1968, received three such replicas during his career.

Golden Age Auctions, the company that listed the trophy, noted that it is the only Claret Jug it has ever auctioned. These trophies typically end up in museums, such as the British Golf Museum in St Andrews, rather than on the collector’s market. The rarity and provenance of the trophy, owned by one of golf’s all-time greats, added to its appeal. Player, who secured nine Major wins in his career, including three Open titles, stands alongside legends like Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods, and Jack Nicklaus. He is one of just six golfers to achieve a career Grand Slam.

Player’s 1974 victory at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club was particularly memorable, as he led from start to finish, defeating Peter Oosterhuis by four shots. The auction for the Claret Jug began with a $5,000 reserve on July 18, with a private bidder meeting this reserve. By the auction’s close 10 days later, the trophy had received 39 bids, with the winning bid surpassing the previous one by over $80,000.

This Claret Jug is the latest high-profile piece of golf memorabilia to be auctioned. In 2022, Tiger Woods’ Tiger Slam irons sold for a record $5,156,162 at Golden Age Auctions, breaking the previous record held by Horton Smith’s Green Jacket, which sold for $682,000 in 2013. Additionally, one of Woods’ Sunday red Masters shirts sold for over $140,000 in 2022, and last year, Rocco Mediate auctioned items from his 2008 US Open match against Woods.