Tiger Woods’ backup putter sells for over $44K at auction

Tiger Woods’ Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS isn’t going anywhere. The putter Woods used to win 13 of his 14 major championships went in the bag during the 1999 season at the then-GTE Bryson Nelson Classic and has logged more rounds and wins than any putter he’s had in his possession.  It’s no wonder the putter is one of two at Woods’ home that’s off-limits to his son, Charlie.  Like most players who have a favorite putter, backups are usually made in the event something happens to the gamer. Due to the incredible success Woods has enjoyed had with the orignial, his run of good luck turned out to be a good thing for Rickie Fowler and golf memorabilia collectors.  Fowler, if you’ll recall, found a Newport 2 GSS blank originally made for Woods during a trip to Scotty Cameron’s studio, prior to the 2014 TOUR season, and had the putter built to his specifications. He’s been using it ever since the 2014 Genesis Open.  While Fowler managed to snag a Woods backup without much effort, a collector recently had to shell out $44,401.20 for the chance to own one of the 14-time major winner’s backup putters.  Green Jacket Auctions auctioned off the backup from 2001 and noted in the listing that Scotty Cameron “only produced one or two ‘back-up’ putters for Tiger each year they worked together. Tiger would try out the back-ups, and even practice with them to ensure they were to his liking, but (so the legend goes) Tiger only used his one trusty gamer in actual tournament play.” Woods won one major championship during the 2001 season, but it was a significant one, as his two-shot victory over David Duval at the Masters completed the “Tiger Slam.”  This isn’t the first time a Woods backup has made it out into the open. Back in 2015, a collector from Japan paid $60,000 for a backup putter, making the one purchased earlier this month for $16,000 less look like a steal. 

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