The Masters by the eBay Stats

By Matthew Shepatin
April 7, 2011

The Masters, the first of the four major golf tournaments to be played each year, always attracts the world’s most elite talents. But when this year’s golf championship gets underway today at Augusta National Golf Club, veteran golfers Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will battle a field that’s especially loaded with talented, confident youngsters hungering for their first green jacket.

Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy

Martin Kaymer (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images), Rory McIlroy (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

If there’s a top challenger among the posse of young guns, it has to be Germany's Martin Kaymer, an unassuming 26-year-old with a golf game that’s simply verblüffend (that’s German for amazing). Yet despite becoming the #1 ranked golfer in the world last month, many folks might mistake the boyish-looking Kaymer for Tiger Woods’ caddy. If Martin Kaymer, who is coming off his first major win at the PGA Championship in 2010 (and boasts an impressive $41.59 average price for Martin Kaymer golf collectibles on eBay auctions—a number that rivals Phil Mickelson) follows this last win up by securing golf’s top prize, it could mean the birth of a new super star.

Rory McIlroy, the 21-year old son of a maintenance man from Belfast, Ireland, is an upstart who may lack experience, but nevertheless has the goods to earn supremacy of the leaderboard. This affable kid is already a sensation in Europe. Winning golf’s most coveted major, the first of his career, would be sure to sure to send the average price of his eBay golf memorabilia up from its current level of $38.70. And with all due respect to guitar great Rory Gallagher and Macaulay Culkin’s little brother, a triumph at hallowed Augusta National would make him the most famous Rory in America.

Nick Watney, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

Nick Watney (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images), Tiger Woods (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images), Phil Mickelson (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

American golfer Nick Watney, who made some noise by winning at last month’s Masters tune-up, the WGC-Cadillac Championship over fellow American rising star Dustin Johnson, is another name to watch this weekend. Although golf collectibles from the former three-time All-American from Cal State are only averaging $15.24 on eBay, there’s no better place for the 29-year old Watney to announce his presence to the world than the game’s prestige Major. And no better time—he’s getting dangerously close to old duffer status, at least for the PGA tour.

Between them, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods have conquered Augusta National 6 of the last 10 years. With that said, Tiger Woods has not won on tour since ‘the car crash.’ That’s a winless streak of more than 500 days. While Woods has shown flashes of his old self, including shooting a 6-under 66 during the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship, it’s unclear if he’s ready to make one of his legendary charges. The smart money says that his mojo is still in hiding. However, if he’s able to remain in striking distance heading into Sunday, all bets are off.

As for reigning Masters champion Phil Mickelson, he would like nothing more than to defend his title; sweeter yet would be a fourth green jacket to match his fierce longtime rival, Tiger Woods. History is not exactly on his side—in the 75 years of the tournament, Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Woods are the only back-to-back champs. That means no Ben Hogan, no Arnold Palmer, no Sam Snead. All those young guns nipping at your heels don’t exactly help, either. We already mentioned Kaymer, McIlroy, Watney, Johnson, and you can add to that list skyrocketing U.S. golfer talents Rickie Fowler and Hunter Mahan.

To say it won’t be easy would be for the two biggest names to fend off the wedge-wielding whippersnappers is an understatement—like saying it’s probably a good idea to avoid the creek in front of the 13th green at Augusta.

We ranked these Masters golfers to watch according to the average price of their memorabilia on eBay in the two months leading up to the Masters.

60 days — Jan 26 to Mar 26, 2011 — Field: “Name” & “Sports Mem.”

1. Tiger Woods

Average Price of Tiger Woods Collectibles on eBay Auctions: $57.96

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