An Open Championship claret jug won by John Daly at the 1995 Open at St Andrews has been sold at an American golf auction.
The trophy realised $392,181 from an opening bid of $500 at the Golden Age Auctions sale that closed last Sunday, November 17.
Daly is one of the biggest characters in golf. He’s recorded with Kid Rock, released his own records, and has sported several extremely colourful looks on the course.
Outspoken comments and on- and off-course incidents have given him a cult following, and a reputation as a wild-man in an often staid sport.
He has reportedly suffered from alcoholism and has gambled excessively to the extent that he had to sell at least one house.
Whatever the image, Daly has also been an enormously successful golf player.
He has won five PGA tournaments, including the 1991 PGA Championship, the 1992 B.C. Open and the 2004 Buick International.
Biggest among his prizes though is the 1995 Open Championship at the “home of golf” St Andrews.
It was an exciting Open that saw the debut of Tiger Woods in the tournament. Daly won via a playoff against Italian golfer Constantino Rocca.
The club house at St Andrew’s where Daly won a rip-roaring Open in 1995. Image by Natlaff CC BY-SA 4.0.
The winner of the Open is given a Claret Jug.
The prize was first awarded in 1872 after the original trophy for the Open was kept by Young Tom Morris, who won the title three times on the trot.
The trophy was bought for £30. The original is on display in the clubhouse at St Andrews, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
A replica made in 1928 is given to the winner each year, and when they return that at the start of the next championship they are awarded another replica to keep.
It is Daly’s copy of this that has been sold.
Golden Age Auctions say: “This player’s trophy is sterling silver (hallmarked), and measures 12 1/4″ tall (50% scale of permanent traveling Claret Jug). The magnificent case measures 14 1/4″ x 8 1/2″, and is embossed with the R&A logo on its silk-lined interior.”
It was bought from Daly in 2015.
Golf memorabilia can be extremely valuable. Trophies and clubs are among collector’s favourites.
An Arnold Palmer Masters trophy was auctioned in 2016 for $444,000. Sam Snead’s trophy sold in 2022 for $750,000.
