The original US Amateur trophy and a replica of an award given to Ben Hogan were among artefacts stolen from the US Golf Association Museum in a burglary, the organisation said on Wednesday. The US Amateur Trophy, created in 1926 and retired in favor of a new award in 1992, had been lifted by such golf legends as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet. The new trophy was in place when 14-time major winner Tiger Woods began his run of three consecutive US Amateur titles in 1994. Also taken was a copy of the Hickok Belt, given to the late Hogan for being the top US pro athlete of 1953. The USGA obtained from golf legend Hogan’s estate in 1998 and has displayed at the museum for the past 14 years. Police in Somerset County, New Jersey, said a burglar alarm was activated in the early hours of Wednesday. Officers reporting to the scene at Far Hills found several trophy cases had been smashed with an axe and some items were missing. Security video showed the thefts appeared to be the work of a lone robber. “This is a deplorable incident,” the USGA said in a statement. “These historical artefacts are an important part of our collection and their loss is a great disappointment. We are working closely with (police) to aid in their recovery.”