BEFORE the intense four-day battle of the Masters tournament at Augusta, fans and players get to enjoy a calming welcome to the competition – the Par 3 contest.
The fan-favourite curtain raiser is always entertaining, but the real action of the highly anticipated Major is what most fans look forward to.
The Masters and its Par 3 contest are right around the cornerGetty
The Masters competition proper gets underway on April 11 with the 88-man field taking to the course to battle it out for the chance to don the iconic Green Jacket.
And this year sees a number of exciting talents going head-to-head on the fairways with the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and last year’s winner Jon Rahm amongst the favourites.
While the Georgia patrons will also be pleased to hear that five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods is set to return to Augusta to take part in this year’s competition.
The world’s best golfers will first unwind and attempt to take their minds off the competition with the Par 3 contest before the action begins.
What is The Masters Par 3 contest?
The Masters Par 3 contest is a long-standing tradition that allows players and their families to get together for some lighthearted golf before they get down to business on the Thursday.
Dating back more than six decades, the contest sees players face off on a nine-hole course consisting entirely of par 3 holes on the Augusta National grounds.
Both tournament competing players and non-competing former Masters champions take part in the beloved tradition that is no stranger to a hole-in-one.
With all nine holes ranging from just 90 to 155 yards the pros are prone to sinking a hole-in-one when they take part in the contest which has seen 107 made since the tradition began.
Families are often also spotted on the course alongside the players with wives and children of the stars seen caddying during the Par 3 contest – with some even sneaking in a few swings here and there.
Players often bring their families out on the course for the Par 3 contestGetty
When is The Masters Par 3 contest?
The Masters Par 3 contest will take place on Wednesday, April 10 – the day before the tournament proper gets underway.
The event is expected to begin around 12pm in the US, meaning a 5pm start for viewers in the UK.
It will take place on the Par 3 course at Augusta National in Georgia, USA.
How to watch The Masters Par 3 contest?
Fans in both the UK and the USA will be able to watch the event on Masters.com via a live stream from 2pm-5pm.
ESPN will also broadcast the Par 3 contest in the USA from 3pm-5pm ET.
Who is competing in The Masters Par 3 contest?
It is not yet clear which stars will be competing in this year’s Par 3 contest.
Every single competing player and former Masters winner is invited to take part, but not all invitees will join in the family event.
Some stars choose to take part in the contest but not submit a score, opting for a more laid-back approach to their final day before the Masters tournament gets underway.
Rory McIlroy will reportedly arrive at Augusta on the Tuesday of Masters week and plans to skip the Par 3 contest as he looks to end his long quest for a Green Jacket.
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Past winners
Winners of the Par 3 contest get to take home an engraved crystal bowl, but it’s not a prize that most players would like to be the recipient of.
Famously no golfer has won the Par 3 contest and the Masters tournament in the same year – creating a looming Par 3 curse for the winner.
Here’s a look at everyone to win the contest in previous years:
Every Par 3 Contest Winner
1960 – Sam Snead 23
1961 – Deane Beman 22
1962 – Bruce Crampton 22
1963 – George Bayer 23
1964 – Labron Harris, Jr. 23
1965 – Art Wall, Jr. 20
1966 – Terry Dill 22
1967 – Arnold Palmer 23
1968 – Bob Rosburg 22
1969 – Bob Lunn 23
1970 – Harold Henning 21
1971 – Dave Stockton 23
1972 – Steve Melnyk 23
1973 – Gay Brewer 20
1974 – Sam Snead 23
1975 – Isao Aoki 23
1976 – Jay Haas 21
1977 – Tom Weiskopf 23
1978 – Lou Graham 22
1979 – Joe Inman, Jr. 23
1980 – Johnny Miller 23
1981 – Isao Aoki 22
1982 – Tom Watson 23
1983 – Hale Irwin 22
1984 – Tommy Aaron 22
1985 – Hubert Green 22
1986 – Gary Koch 23
1987 – Ben Crenshaw 22
1988 – Tsuneyuki Nakajima 24
1989 – Bob Gilder 22
1990 – Raymond Floyd 23
1991 – Rocco Mediate 24
1992 – Davis Love III 22
1993 – Chip Beck 21
1994 – Vijay Singh 22
1995 – Hal Sutton 23
1996 – Jay Haas 22
1997 – Sandy Lyle 22
1998 – Sandy Lyle 24
1999 – Joe Durant 22
2000 – Chris Perry 23
2001 – David Toms 22
2002 – Nick Price 22
2003 – Padraig Harrington 21
2003 – David Toms 21
2004 – Padraig Harrington 23
2005 – Jerry Pate 22
2006 – Ben Crane 23
2007 – Mark O’Meara 22
2008 – Rory Sabbatini 22
2009 – Tim Clark 22
2010 – Louis Oosthuizen 21
2011 – Luke Donald 22
2012 – Padraig Harrington 22
2012 – Jonathan Byrd 22
2013 – Ted Potter, Jr. 23
2014 – Ryan Moore 21
2015 – Kevin Streelman 22
2016 – Jimmy Walker 19
2017 – Cancelled – Weather
2018 – Tom Watson 21
2019 – Matt Wallace 22
2020 – Cancelled – COVID-19
2021 – Cancelled – COVID-19
2022 – Mackenzie Hughes 23
2022 – Mike Weir 23
2023 – Tom Hoge 21
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