A sterling silver Olympic Games trophy presented to the men’s golf gold medalist more than a century ago will make a rare trip from its Canadian home to the upcoming Dean & DeLuca Invitational at Fort Worth’s Colonial Country Club May 23-29.
The trophy, last presented 112 years ago to Canadian Gold medal winner George Lyon, will be on display all week for fans at Colonial. Lyon is the last player to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games for golf.
The golf award is housed at the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum in Oakville, Ontario. The trophy has been on display since the 1960s but largely forgotten until now. Golf has been absent from the Olympics for decades but its comeback during the Summer Olympic Games has piqued interest in the century-old prize.
“This historic relic being at the tournament is a huge opportunity for fans to see a true piece of golf history,” said Michael Tothe, Dean & DeLuca Invitational tournament director. “The trophy’s historic significance meshes perfectly with the history of Colonial Country Club, the tournament and Dean and DeLuca’s storied past.”
This year marks the 80th anniversary of Colonial Country Club and the club’s 70th year on the PGA Tour, making it the Tour’s longest-tenured tournament at a single venue.
Dean & DeLuca is Colonial’s new title sponsor. The global gourmet food and beverage company signed a six-year agreement that runs through 2021.
The hand-crafted trophy, which stands at 18 inches tall and 18 inches wide, is coming to Colonial thanks to the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau, the underwriting sponsor. The Olympic Golf trophy will be in the Fort Worth CVB booth at Colonial’s “Prince Street” exhibits area for fans to see and have their photos taken with throughout tournament week.
According to the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Museum, the trophy will travel to Rio de Janeiro for the Summer Olympic Games but not for presentation.