News
Warren Buffett’s golf clubs are up for auction (AKA Warren Buffett WITB)
He may have a net worth of over $80 billion, but business mogul Warren Buffett isn’t letting go of his golf clubs without getting a return on his investment.
Warren Buffett’s clubs will be auctioned by Boston-based RR Auction, with the lot comprising of Buffett’s personally-owned and used fourteen clubs and customized golf bag.
What does arguably the greatest investor of all time game? The golf clubs include nine Ping Eye2 clubs (wedge, sand wedge, and irons 3-9), an older Ping putter, Callaway Heaven Wood, Callaway Divine Nine, and two Orlimar Trimetal drivers (13° and 16°). Inside one of the bag’s pockets is an assortment of tees and markers from Augusta National and the Seminole Golf Club, and bag tags from the Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara.
No stranger to auctions, in 2016 Buffet auctioned off “Lunch with Warren Buffett” which fetched a whopping $3.3 million, and according to sources, the 88-year-old’s golf clubs are estimated to collect over $10k.
The golf bag itself features his name embroidered in gold on the front flap, with the logo of Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary NetJets on both sides; attached is a plastic 2005 Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference tag, with affixed green labels, “Buffett” and “88.” Wrapped around the handle of each club is a Warren Buffett property tag, the majority of which read: “Omaha Country Club, Warren Buffett, Omaha, NE 68152.”
The consignor notes: “The clubs were purchased for Warren by the director of the Buffett Foundation and given to Buffett sometime in the 90s. They were his only set of clubs from then until now. The bag was custom made for Warren by NetJets (a Berkshire subsidiary). Warren personally handed me the clubs inside his home in 2016. He gave them to me after my clubs had been stolen. I was engaged to his granddaughter at the time and have had them in my possession up until this point.”
Speaking on this particular lot, Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction stated
“Having been well-used by one of the world’s most successful businessmen, these golf clubs are truly remarkable and embody the essence of Buffett’s life and legacy,”
So, GolfWRXers, any takers?
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Morning 9: Tiger confirms playing schedule | Player: This caused Tiger’s downfall
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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News
Vincenzi’s 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson betting preview: International talent to shine
As anticipation mounts for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla in a few weeks, the PGA Tour makes a pit stop in McKinney, Texas to play The CJ CUP Byron Nelson.
Last year was the third time TPC Craig Ranch hosted the Byron Nelson. Prior to 2021, the event was held at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.
TPC Craig Ranch is a 7,414-yard par-71 that features Bentgrass greens. The event historically plays relatively easy, and that has remained the case in the three editions at TPC Craig Ranch.
The course structure may provide some additional intrigue with the par-3 17th featuring a stadium setup called “Ranch 17” which is reminiscent of the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale. The course also has both long and difficult par-4s mixed with drivable par-4s, which should create some exciting moments.
There are 156 golfers in the field this week, and many stars will be taking the week off to prepare for 2023’s second major championship in a few weeks and a “signature event” at Quail Hollow next week. Notable players in the field include Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Sungjae Im, Stephan Jaeger, Tom Kim, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee, Alex Noren, Adam Scott and Will Zalatoris.
Past Winners of the AT&T Byron Nelson
- 2023: Jason Day (-23 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2022: K.H. Lee (-26 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2021: K.H. Lee (-25 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2019: Sung Kang (-23)
- 2018: Aaron Wise (-23)
- 2017: Billy Horschel (-12)
- 2016: Sergio Garcia (-15)
- 2015: Steven Bowditch (-18)
Key Stats at TPC Craig Ranch
Let’s take a look at five key metrics for TPC Craig Ranch to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach remains the best measure of current form.
Hot iron play will be at a premium this week. Last year, Jason Day gained 6.4 strokes on approach, which was fourth in the field. In 2022, K.H. Lee was ninth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 5.2 strokes. In his 2021 victory, he was second in the field and gained 8.3 strokes on the field in the category.
Strokes Gaines: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Keith Mitchell (+1.02)
- Henrik Norlander (+0.99)
- Ryan Moore (+0.98)
- Ben Martin (0.80)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Fairways are wide at TPC Craig Ranch.
Distance will certainly be helpful, and there aren’t too many difficult holes on the course. Golfers who put themselves in position off of the tee this week should have a sizable advantage.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Over Past 24 Rounds
- Peter Kuest (+0.93)
- Kevin Daugherty (+0.91)
- Alejandro Tosti (+0.83)
- Keith Mitchell (+0.82)
- Kevin Tway (+0.74)
Birdie or Better %
There aren’t many hazards on the course, and all of the par-5s should be reachable in two for the majority of the players in the field. I am anticipating a birdie fest, and this statistic should be helpful in finding the birdie-makers.
Birdie or Better % Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Wesley Bryan (31%)
- Kelly Kraft (26.2%)
- Peter Kuest (25.9%)
- Matti Schmid (25.7%
- Jimmy Stanger (25.2%)
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass)
Many golfers on TOUR have some major putting surface variance in their statistics and prefer Bentgrass to other surfaces.
Bentgrass is common in Texas, and we often see golfers who play well in Texas continue to do so, finding a great feel around the greens.
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Maverick McNealy (+0.92)
- Aaron Baddeley (+0.87)
- Callum Tarren (+0.86)
- Harry Hall (+0.81)
- Nick Hardy (+0.69)
Course History
This statistic will tell us which players have performed the best at TPC Craig Ranch over the past three seasons.
Course History Over Past 12 Rounds:
- Jordan Spieth (+2.69)
- K.H. Lee (+2.59)
- Seamus Power (+1.84)
- Ryan Palmer (+1.76)
- Adam Scott (+1.72)
CJ CUP Byron Nelson Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: OTT (24%), Birdie or Better % (18%), Course History (17%) and SG: Putting Bentgrass (16%).
- Alex Noren
- Adam Scott
- Keith Mitchell
- Si Woo Kim
- Stephen Jaeger
- Jordan Spieth
- Jhonnatan Vegas
- Nate Lashley
- Brice Garnett
- Tom Hoge
2024 CJ CUP Byron Nelson Picks
Byeong Hun An +3000 (DraftKings)
Byeong Hun put together an excellent performance at The Masters, finishing T16, which ties his best ever finish at a major championship (also T16 at 2019 U.S. Open). The South Korean gained 9.16 strokes from tee to green, which ranked 2nd in the field behind only the champion, Scottie Scheffler.
An’s next start at Harbour Town didn’t go as well (67th), but he still had a fantastic ball striking week. The 32-year-old bled strokes both around and on the greens, which was his eventual undoing. In his past three starts, An has gained significant strokes on the field both off the tee and on approach.
Benny had a strong start at last year’s Byron Nelson, finishing in a tie for 14th. With limited challenges on the course, he shouldn’t have to do much scrambling. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 17th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 17th in the field in birdie or better percentage. The putter is up and down per usual, but his ceiling putting weeks with his LAB Golf putter in 2024 are higher than they’ve been in past seasons.
An is starting to become my “white whale” of the PGA Tour, but I believe in his talent and TPC Craig Ranch is a course that should suit his excellent tee to green play.
Mackenzie Hughes +5500 (FanDuel)
Mackenzie Hughes is quietly putting together a very good season. He finished in a tie for 3rd at the Valspar Championship and followed that up with a T14 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
In his past 36 rounds in Texas, the Canadian ranks 5th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total. Last year, he finished in a tie for 14th at this event and gained strokes putting and off the tee. Mackenzie played well that week despite being in extremely poor form. He missed two cuts in a row prior to the event, and four consecutive cuts immediately after. His irons were off that week, but in 2024, we’ve seen an improvement in Hughes’ approach game. He now comes to the event playing some steady golf. He’s gained strokes on approach in four of his past five events and is hitting the ball very well from tee to green.
Hughes has two victories on the PGA Tour, both coming in relatively low-scoring affairs (-17 in each). He will need to go a bit deeper to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson but has the type of putter that can keep pace in a birdie barrage.
Seamus Power +7000 (FanDuel)
After struggling over the past few seasons with injuries, Seamus Power seems as if he is rounding back into the form that made him a really consistent player on the PGA Tour.
Power finished T12 in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage, which is encouraging considering it was a “signature event” with a very strong field. For the week, the Irishman gained 4.4 strokes on approach and 2.8 strokes putting, which is the combination he’s used in the past to contend on Tour.
In his three trips to TPC Craig Ranch, Power is yet to finish outside of the top-20, with his best finish being a T9 in 2019. He ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course. The 37-year-old thrives on easy tracks and has won in 2021 (Barbasol Championship) and 2022 (Butterfield Bermuda) on easier layouts with weaker fields.
Power has the game to go extremely low and I believe he can get back in the winner’s circle for the third time in four years.
Chan Kim +10000 (FanDuel)
Chan Kim has been striking the ball beautifully this season and is a proven winner with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023 as well as eight career Japan Tour wins.
At last week’s Zurich Classic, Kim and his partner Doug Ghim finished in a tie for 28th. Prior to that, the South Korean T14 at the Valero Texas Open and T6 at the Corales Puntacana Championship. His success this season in Texas as well as he propensity to play his best golf on the PGA Tour’s easier courses make him and ideal fit for TPC Craig Ranch.
2024 has given plenty of longshot winners on the PGA Tour, and with a birdie fest like this, I believe there’s a strong chance we get another this week in McKinney, Texas.
Alejandro Tosti +10000 (FanDuel)
Alejandro Tosti is one of the most polarizing players on the PGA Tour thus far in the 2024 season. His antics can rub many the wrong way, but he’s shown on a few occasions that he has what it takes to compete in Tour events.
This season, Tosti has been elite off the tee. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The Argentine hits it long and straight, which works at any course on earth. He got a taste of contention a few starts ago at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, finishing in a tie for 2nd place.
Tosti had a fantastic year in 2023 on the Korn Ferry Tour, where going low is a prerequisite to success. If this turns to a shootout, which it likely will, the 27-year-old has the ability to set the pace. Tosti will look to become the second Argentine to win in Texas in the past two seasons after Emiliano Grillo emerged victorious at last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge.
C.T. Pan +15000 (FanDuel)
Outside of a T3 at the Mexico Open, C.T. Pan doesn’t have strong results this season in terms of finishes. However, over his past two starts, Pan’s iron play has come alive. At The Players, he gained 6.6 strokes on approach. At the Valero Texas Open, he gained 3.7. At last week’s Zurich Classic, Pan and his partner Kevin Yu finished T28. For a player who can get extremely hot with his scoring clubs, I believe he’s playing better than the results have shown over the past month or so.
Last season, Pan finished 4th at TPC Craig Ranch and was spectacular across all the major stat categories. In his past 36 qualifying rounds, he ranks 16th in Strokes Gained: Total in Texas.
Pan has won on the PGA Tour at the RBC Heritage and is always a player that I believe has what it takes to win on a Sunday if he finds himself in contention.
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jake krayson
Jan 28, 2019 at 8:42 pm
what’s the color code on the Ping Eye2’s ?
Bab A'booey
Jan 28, 2019 at 4:09 pm
Did the guy ever marry his granddaughter, I understand he’s not that charitable to his offspring. I want the Seminole ball markers, maybe the bag, rest goes to 1st tee for a $10 contribution certified by crooked PGA club values on the website.
joro
Jan 28, 2019 at 10:51 am
Looks like we have a bunch of jealous twits in here on this one. Some have it and some don’t, regardless of how they got it. So go get your own, I just have wonder why they are worth anything,
JP
Jan 26, 2019 at 12:56 am
He is a very bad tipper.
At the hotel
Check in bellman $5-$10
Check out bellman $5-$10
Bringing up packages $1-$2
Laundry up/down $1-$2
Limo driver to/from airport $10
Waiter/Waitress $5 (regardless of bill)
DS
Jan 28, 2019 at 5:16 pm
The waiter/waitress tipping is the only thing I see off here, and I’ve seen a check with his tip attached which was 18%-20%. The rest isn’t evidence of a bad tipper.
jake krayson
Jan 28, 2019 at 8:40 pm
still better tipper than TW
Tom
Jan 26, 2019 at 12:25 am
Ping Eye 2 Irons are the best irons ever made, well done Warren…
Crusher
Jan 25, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Geez,…..that is a set of clubs that looks like the guy last played golf in 1992. Orlimars and Ping Eye2’s? It appears he has made billions by not spending money on golf
Charles
Jan 25, 2019 at 8:23 pm
He has a membership at Augusta. I hope he’s got a nice new set.
Jamie
Jan 25, 2019 at 3:32 pm
Fake capitalist. Tax break harvester. Son of an insider trading congressman. Produces nothing. Sloshes paper around.
Benny
Jan 25, 2019 at 5:16 pm
Well said Jamie. People don’t get this rich w/o inside help. I always wonder about the days when super rich made their first unethical decision. Then what was built from then on. Do we all really believe the worlds richest never did anything wrong to someone or some thing?
2putttom
Jan 25, 2019 at 8:40 pm
Bill Gates and ….
Jose Pinatas
Jan 26, 2019 at 8:08 am
Trump….
NickD
Jan 26, 2019 at 7:00 pm
As well as Obama and the Clintons…. how did they get so rich just being in Politics?
Frownie Kaufman
Jan 27, 2019 at 11:11 am
Don’t think Obama or the Clinton’s fall under the world’s richest. Their referring to shady billionaires here. I doubt Clinton’s or Obama’s are billionaires, however their definitely shady. Every politician is.
Scott
Jan 29, 2019 at 8:41 am
Are those people that are NOT rich, somehow morally superior and without fault? Have you yourself never done anything wrong? Just saying…
Jose Pinatas
Jan 25, 2019 at 2:05 pm
More feasible is that some bag room kid at Omaha CC was cleaning out the bag room and tossed em because they’ve been sitting in there for 20 years unused.
He/She probably thought the member was dead.
Jamie
Jan 25, 2019 at 3:36 pm
This.
Captain Murica
Jan 25, 2019 at 1:59 pm
10k… Really?? Wonder what PGA value guide is on these? Is there 4 guest passes to Augusta National hidden in one of the pockets? If not, I’ll give ya 20 bucks for the set.
2putttom
Jan 25, 2019 at 12:58 pm
I raised the steer that bag is made from.
Jonathan Farrington
Jan 25, 2019 at 11:06 am
Haha, I still use an Olimar fairway, 17°!!
ht
Jan 25, 2019 at 11:02 am
Those Orlimar’s were fire back in the day
Joe
Jan 28, 2019 at 12:13 pm
They’re still legit. Among the best woods ever made IMO.
Gunter Eisenberg
Jan 25, 2019 at 10:24 am
Those Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips look slick. For one of the richest men in the world, you’d think he would spend a little money to change his grips a little more often.
carl spackler
Jan 25, 2019 at 9:36 am
What is his current WITB? PXGs?
BIG STU
Jan 26, 2019 at 6:25 am
Naah! Gold plated Homnas