AUGUSTA, Ga. — With so much focus on the competition the week of the Masters Tournament, Wednesday has become a welcome sight for many in the field.
The Masters Par 3 Contest is a way for players to decompress the day before the opening round, but also make lifelong memories with their families. Competing in his third Masters, Augusta resident Luke List embraces the ‘calm before the storm,’ so to speak.
“It’s a special week, and this kind of gets everything rolling,” he said. “Once this is over it’s time to go. Living here in Augusta now it’s really special being here, and, yeah, I just can’t wait to get going.”
Rickie Fowler took the day with a score of 5 under. Since its inception in 1960, no winner of the Par 3 Contest has ever donned a green jacket that same week. The level of superstition among the field continues to this day, with players letting caddies, significant others or their children step in to make the next shot, disqualifying them in the process.
Masters: Best Par 3 Contest photos | Kids galore at Par 3 Contest
Few moments are more iconic than a player’s child taking the club from their father. Gary Woodland knew long before setting foot on the No. 9 green who’d be taking his final stroke: his 6-year-old son, Jax.
“It was exciting. He’s thought about it all day,” he said. “He’s known that was going to be his shot. He told me to hit it a lot closer than that so I was apologizing I didn’t hit it closer for him. That was so cool. Just so see his reaction, that was very special.”
Of the 80 players in the field, just 16 turned in complete scores.
The Masters Par-3 Contest aces
Sepp Straka
Straka was the only player who aced a hole (No. 5) and played a complete round, finishing two strokes behind Fowler in a tie for second.
Luke List
The first hole-in-one of the day came from the Augusta resident. Oddly enough, this wasn’t List’s first ace during the Par-3 Contest, but to talk about that we’ll have to go back to when he was an amateur.
“A long time ago, 2005, I made one on No. 7 in the Par-3,” he said. “So this was kind of — it was awesome to have my family there. It was neat. I didn’t see it go in, just heard the crowd, you know it is. It’s organized chaos out there with the kids, but we had a good time.”
Gary Woodland
Woodland followed up List with the second ace of the day, which was also the first Par-3 Contest ace of his career.
“This is my 12th time playing the par-3. I’ve had some close calls. It was nice to see one go in,” he said. “Nice to see my kids’ reaction. They were so excited. I will say, my son making the putt on the last was more exciting for me than that ball going in.”
Viktor Hovland
Hovland was the third to ace No. 6 and the final hole-in-one of the day.
Lucas Glover
Glover aced No. 7.