Lucky Fan Catches Rory McIlroy’s Golf Ball, Auctions It For Big Money

JohnnyPSK10 years ago

As Rory McIlroy sank his final putt that secured him The Open Championship, he turned and threw his Nike RZN Black golf ball into the stands. It was a big moment for Rory, who, this past weekend, became the third youngest player ever to win four major championships. This just adds fuel to the “next Tiger Woods” fire that seems to split ESPN airtime with identical looking baseball highlights, LeBron talk, and Stephen A. and Skip Bayless’s idiocy.

It was also a big moment for Lee Horner, a man from Leeds who caught Rory’s ball. That ball sold on Sunday for a whopping $52,038, which is 31,000 pounds if British money is your cup of tea.

When you consider that Rory made almost $1.7 million (about $6,000 per shot) 52 grand is pretty good for a ball that sells for $3.75.

Green Jacket Auctions, the company that auctioned off the ball, said on its website:

How many chances will a collector have in their entire life to obtain the actual ball used to win a Major Championship?…

This is a ball that will only gain in significance for the next 20, 50, even 100 years. In the collecting world, this is what’s called a “dream piece” – something that no one could ever expect would become available for sale; yet here it is.”

This is believed to be the second highest dollar amount ever paid for a golf ball; back in 2011, a collector paid $55,865 for a ball autographed by Bobby Jones.

[via Green Jacket Auctions]

Image via YouTube