Before the Masters begins in earnest with Thursday’s first-round action, weather permitting, the course got warmed up Wednesday afternoon with the annual Par-3 contest.
And it was Rickie Fowler, with family in tow, who walked away with the win. Fowler carded a 5-under 22 score and became the second player from Oklahoma State to win it, doing so in his ninth try.
Making its debut in 1960, when three-time Masters champion Sam Snead won, the Par-3 contest happens in a single round has been an enjoyable staple for Masters patrons and golfers alike, giving golfers an opportunity to allow for their family members — particularly small children, fit with miniature Augusta National all-white caddie suits — to come and caddie for them, and sometimes get a shot at swinging a club on the Augusta National course.
It’s a nine-hole, single round light-hearted exhibition situated in the northeast corner of the course with holes ranging in distance from 90 to 155 yards. Its field includes the past and present players of Masters lore coming together for some fun before the seriousness of the Masters tournament begins.
The competition has only been cancelled three times in its history — once in 2017 due to rain and then in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19. Only Sam Snead (1960, 1974), Isao Aki (1975, 1981), Sandy Lyle (1997, 1998), David Toms (2001, 2003) have won it twice with Lyle and Padraig Harrington (2003, 2004, 2012) being the only back-to-back winners.
Harrington is the only golfer to win it three times, and interestingly, no golfer competing in both the Par-3 and Masters Tournament in the same year has won both.
