Woods, Couples Inspire Block Party Auction

ANAHEIM, Calif.--About 700 guests at Tiger Woods' third annual Block Party were treated to a four-course meal prepared by celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis and a musical performance by Grammy Award winner John Mayer on Saturday night at the Grove of Anaheim.

Another highlight of the event, which raises more than $1 million each year for the Tiger Woods Learning Center, was a live auction that generated $258,000. The big item was a package to the 2008 Masters. Fred Couples, who participated in an exhibition with Tiger earlier in the day, came to the stage and offered to take the winning bidder to play Augusta the Sunday before the tournament.

Couples said he'd pick up the winning bidder with his jet and let him stay with him. The only hitch: the winning bidder couldn't be a "chop." The winning bid was $145,000.

Earlier, Couples outlasted a few lively bidders to win a Grammy Awards package that included Gold Level tickets, backstage passes to the rehearsal, the chance to hang out with musician Jimmy Jam and to cut an album in his studio. Couples' winning bid was $38,000.

There were eight auction items overall, including a trip to Las Vegas; a backstage meeting with Woods and Mayer and a signed guitar; Roger Federer-signed racket and courtside seats to next year's U.S. Open; tickets to the NCAA Final Four, plus accommodations; and a private skateboard session with Tony Hawk, which Woods won for $7,000.

Guests at the Block Party included Teri Hatcher of ABC's "Desperate Housewives," Dave Annable of ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" and Isaiah Washington of NBC's "Bionic Woman."

--Mark Soltau