1987 Ryder Cup at Muirfield Village Team USA Ceramic Trophy Awarded to Mark Calcavecchia
Less than 30 of these prestigious white and gold ceramic bisque Ryder Cup trophies were crafted by Cybis commissioned by presenter and US Team Captain Jack Nicklaus, along with his wife Barbara, to his players and select PGA executives. Unsurprisingly the players were quite fond of Jack and Barbara's gift, Mark Calcavecchia proudly displaying his example for decades prior to its proud presentation here. It was a celebration, as Jack Nicklaus' Muirfield Village would host the biennial international Ryder Cup Matches for the first time. Decorative gold colored accents were tastefully added throughout the tiered trophy composition. The emphasized delicate nature of these pieces have unfortunately resulted in multiple examples fragmented, bringing that total of less than 30 much closer to 25. While the base and cup are in very good condition, it is missing the top. The cup is (naturally) loose from the base, however it can easily be adhered together with one sitting in the other if need be. Mark Calcavecchia played in his first of four Ryder Cups for Team USA and notched a point in his singles match 1 up over Nick Faldo. The 1987 Ryder Cup measures 12 inches tall, and is maximum 8” wide. A signed letter of provenance from Mark Calcavecchia will accompany this lot.
Mark Calcavecchia Collection
The ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’ in 1989 put together four rounds and a playoff during his 'finest hour' of individual golf. It was no surprise however, as Mark Calcavecchia would finish a 4-time US Ryder Cup Team Member and perennial top PGA Tour player after turning pro in 1981. A moment that any golfer dreams of having, Calcavecchia knew the magnitude of his accomplishment, with his name mentioned with the great champions of the past going forward. A testament to Calcavecchia’s cool demeanor after the 1989 Open Championship in Royal Troon, he famously told a member of the press that he both wasn’t aware of the tournament’s playoff format and jokingly asked “How’s my name going to fit on that thing?” To be fair to 'Calc' it was the first Open to use the four hole playoff instead of a full 18, and first to include three golfers. Calcavecchia was of course referring to the engraving of his name on the highly prized Claret Jug as "thing" then implied. Calcavecchia has filled up his passport many times over, amassing 29 victories across the PGA Tour, Asian Tour, PGA Tour of Australia among others over four decades from 1986 until 2018.
A Florida native since 1973 and All-SEC at University of Florida, Calcavecchia has taken a gator-sized bite out of the competition. Posing for pictures with oversize winner's checks was routine, and even if the casual sports fan couldn't spell "Calcavecchia" they knew his name. In Augusta 'Calc' finished runner-up at the 1988 Masters Tournament to Sandy Lyle by a single stroke while besting him in the final round. Calcavecchia’s Sunday 70 made him leader in the clubhouse at 6-under. Lyle would birdie Augusta National Golf Club’s 18th and negate the playoff finish patrons were hoping for. His dominance at the Phoenix Open tournament continued into a new millenium, tying a PGA Tour record of 28 under par and winning his third Phoenix Open title in 2001. nearly 30 years after his PGA Tour debut, the scorching hot 49-year-old Calcavecchia set a record carding nine consecutive birdies at the 2009 RBC Canadian Open.
Many of Mark Calcavecchia’s finest individual and team on-course achievements are represented by items from his collection that The Golf Auction is proud to offer. They are accompanied by signed letters of provenance from Calcavecchia.
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