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U.S. Amateur Trophy, Ben Hogan’s Hickok Belt stolen from USGA Museum

If you were planning a trip to the USGA Museum this summer and had the U.S. Amateur Trophy on your list of things to see, you're going to be disappointed with this bit of news.

As the USGA reported, the museum was broken into for the first time ever on Wednesday night, and the U.S. Amateur Trophy, along with a replica of Ben Hogan's 1953 Hickok Belt award, were swiped during the heist.

"This is a deplorable incident, but we are thankful for the safety of our staff," the USGA said in a statement. "These historical artifacts are an important part of our collection and their loss is a great disappointment. We are working closely with the Bernards Township Police Department to aid in their recovery."

The trophy, which had been created in 1926 and retired in 1992, is a true piece of golf history. Some of the greatest golfers to ever play the game hoisted the hardware over the years, so for it to go missing is a pretty big deal.

Based on the rarity of the items, the chances of either showing up on the open market are pretty slim. The black market? Well, that's another story. The only problem with selling them to someone is that unlike most pieces of memorabilia, you'd never have the chance to show them off to your friends.

While I'm no super sleuth, I'd suggest checking Steve Scott's house for the U.S. Amateur Trophy. Tiger Woods stole it from him in 1996, so you'd have to assume he was just taking back what was rightfully his. (Yes, that was a joke, friends.)