Tuesday, October 7, 2008

1999 Golf World Cup of Golf

1999 World Cup of Golf

"1999 Golf World Cup Commemorative Cover with Limited Edition MS"

The cover you see above may be the most expensive cover in the history of Malaysia modern philately. I last saw the miniature sheet sold at around USD$90 in ebay.

The stamp and cover was issued in 1999 to commemorate Golf World Cup held in Mines Resort & Golf Club from 19 - 21 November 1999. The commemorative cover will only be available if you bought the limit issue folder, which contain the cover with stamp and fdc and a special booklet outline the world cup. The folder was originally sold at RM25.

However, what make this cover valuable is the limited edition sheetlet with the design which outline 18 holes of the Mines Resort & Golf Club. Only 300 sheetlets were issued and sold in GPO Kuala Lumpur. Yes, 300!! No kidding. At that quantity, it had become one of the rarest stamp sought after by hardcore collector.

In this tornament, Tiger Wood won his first world cup individual title and team title with Mark O’Meara, bringing the world cup back to US since 1995.

"1999 Tiger Wood"

The United States won the 32-team World Cup on Sunday (21 Novermber 1999), with Woods producing the best score in the tournament’s history and taking individual honors by a record nine strokes.

His overpowering performance allowed the United States to erase Spain’s lead over the last nine holes, ensuring that the cup would return to the United States.

Woods shot a 6-under-par 65, more than offsetting a 77 by partner Mark O’Meara. He finished at 21-under 263 and O’Meara had 282 for a five-shot victory over Spain, 545 to 550.

“Tiger rose to the occasion,” O’Meara said. “He met the challenge.”

Woods won of $200,000 from the team prize plus the individual award of $100,000.

In 1999, the United States has won 22 of the 45 World Cups. But it had not won since Couples and Davis Love III swept four in a row from 1992 through 1995.

Backed by Woods’ course-record 63, the Americans took a seven-shot lead over Spain on Saturday (20 November 1999). But the Spaniards still had a chance.

Spain team's Miguel Angel Martin and Santiago Luna made the turn Sunday one shot ahead. The United States was hurt by O’Meara’s front nine of 4 over.

Then Woods birdied the first four holes on the back nine while Luna followed a double-bogey on the 10th with bogeys on the next two holes. The Americans led by five.

Woods’ 263 total beat the 265 set by Fred Couples in the 1994 World Cup, although Couples was 23 under on the par-72 Dorado Beach course in Puerto Rico.

This cover really marked a historical moment in Golf history, as well as Malaysia Philately history.

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