A patron wears a hat adorned with past Masters badgesROBERT GALBRAITH/Reuters
One of the toughest tickets in sports just became a little more attainable. Online prices for individual day badges for next week's Masters golf tournament have taken a steep dive since Tiger Woods announced he would not be playing in the first golf major of the season after undergoing back surgery.
A quick search on StubHub.com reveals you can purchase a single day badge for next Thursday's opening round for under $940 (all figures in US dollars). Prior to Tiger's announcement, those same tickets were selling for $1,165 – a drop of almost 20 per cent.
Other online ticket brokers were reporting similar price drops.
Further evidence that Woods, the world's number one ranked player, continues to move the needle when it comes to casual golf fans – in 2013, resale prices for some tickets rose more than 200 per cent as Tiger, coming off three victories on the PGA Tour, attempted to win his fifth Masters title. Prices for final round badges last year nearly quadrupled as Tiger entered the weekend in contention.
Anyone hoping to bypass the official ticket agents and brokers in hopes of cashing in on bargain-basement prices beware.
Augusta National officials say they will once again be working with Richmond County sherriff's officers to enforce the strict city ordinance on ticket scalping. Licensed ticket brokers must remain at least 2,700 feet from the golf course boundaries when it comes to selling tickets and anyone caught scalping faces possible arrest and fines.