Tommy Nakajima Autographed Golf Ball JSA COA

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This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/28/2014

Tommy Nakajima Autographed Golf Ball

Nakajima is a Japanese professional golfer, and was born in Gunma. He turned professional in 1975. He has won 48 events on the Japan Golf Tour, ranking third on the most Japan Golf Tour wins list. He also was the leading money winner four times in five years: 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1986. Nakajima featured in the top 5 of the Official World Golf Rankings and was ranked in the top-10 for 85 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1987. He ranked as high as fifth on its predecessor McCormack's World Golf Rankings. At the 1978 Masters Tournament, Nakajima made a 13 on the par-5 13th hole. After hitting his fourth shot into Rae's Creek, Nakajima elected to play the ball rather than take a drop. He popped the ball straight up and it landed on his foot, causing a two-stroke penalty. When he handed the club to his caddie, it slipped out of his hand and fell into the creek, incurring another two-stroke penalty. He chipped over the green, chipped back on and two-putted for the highest single-hole score in the history of the tournament.

Also in 1978, Nakajima was in contention at the Open Championship on the third day at St Andrews until he putted into - and then took four attempts to escape from - the Road Hole bunker at the 17th for a quintuple bogey, which led the British tabloids to christen that bunker, for a while, "the Sands of Nakajima". Nakajima's best finish in a major was a solo third at the 1988 PGA Championship. He would also feature in an epic match at the 1982 Suntory World Match Play Championship at Wentworth when he lost to Sandy Lyle only after an extended playoff. James Spence Authentication (JSA) has reviewed this autograph, and their letter of authenticity will come with this auction lot.

Please note: This auction will end at 7:00pm EST on September 28th with extended bidding to follow. All items in the auction will remain open until no items have received a bid within a 15 minute time period. All lots are free to be bid on until extended bidding has ended.