Rare Harry Vardon Autograph

        The history of golf is filled with great players and champions, but only a handful have ever reached true legendary status. That list arguably only includes the likes of Old and Young Tom Morris, Harry Vardon, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Harry Vardon was part of the so-called Great Triumvirate, along with James Braid and J.H. Taylor) that launched golf into its first Golden Age at the turn of the Century. His many accomplishments include winning the Open Championship 6 times and winning the 1900 U.S. Open. Despite all this, many Americans know Harry Vardon because of two second place finishes in the U.S. Open. Due the the difficulty and extreme expense of traveling overseas in his day, Harry Vardon only played in the U.S. Open 3 times - finished 1st, 2nd, and 2nd. Vardon's initial 2nd place finish came in a tournament that is considered the birth of American golf - the 1913 U.S. Open, where teenage amateur Francis Ouimet shocked the world when defeating Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. After that tournament, Vardon didn't get to play the U.S. Open again until 1920 at the age of 50. While many likely expected Vardon was only there as a retirement tour of sorts, that idea was quickly dispelled when Vardon shot up the leaderboard, eventually finishing 2nd. In addition to his many tournament victories, Harry Vardon is probably most-known for popularizing the "Vardon grip" - the overlapping grip that most golfers use today.

        Presented here is unquestionably one of the finest golf autographs that we have ever offered. This is an authentic Harry Vardon signature, the first we've ever had the privilege to auction.

        Please check out our other auction lots to find signatures from the remaining key figures in that famous 1913 U.S. Open - Francis Ouimet, Eddie Lowery, Ted Ray - a collection that took our consignor many years to assemble.