The Par 3 Contest of The Masters Golf Tournament

The Masters Golf Tournament is famous for its prestige and stiff competition. Golfers who participate in The Masters are only those who were invited or who ware qualified based on the standards and requirements of the Masters Tournament committee. Players come from different parts of the world to compete for the most coveted Masters title and the traditional Green Jacket.

Through the years, several Masters champions had left their marks in the history of golf. United States has 55 wins and 33 winners in all followed by Spain with 4 wins and 2 winners. On the other hands, South Africa had earned 3 wins from only one winner tying up with England also with 3 wins and 1 winner. Meanwhile, Germany has 2 wins garnered by only one winner. Wales, Canada, and Fiji all have one Masters champion.

Besides the main events of the tournament, the Par 3 contest is also another highlight of the Masters. It was first introduced in 1960 with Sam Snead as the first winner. The par 3 course was built in 1958. It is a nine-hole course with a par of 27 and measures 1, 060 yards in length. So far, there have been 63 holes-in-one in the history of the par 3 contest. This special contests is played on he Wednesday before the tournament starts. Since t stated, no par 3 contest winner has also won the Masters in the same year.

The winners in the par 3 contests include Mark O’Meara, Ben Crane, Jerry Pate, David Toms, Chris Perry, Joe Durant, Jay Haas, Hal Sutton, Chip Beck, Davis Love III, Rocco Mediate, Raymond Floyd, Bob Gilder, Ben Crenshaw, Gary Koch, Hubert Green, Tommy Aaron, Hale Irwin, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Joe Inman, Lou Graham, Tom Weiskopf, Sam Snead, Gay Brewer, Steve Melynk, Dave Stockton, Bob Lunn, Bob Rosburg, Arnold Palmer, Terry Dill, and many more.

On the other hand, several non-American golfers also won the par 3 contest. The list includes Padraig Harrington from Ireland, Sandy Lyle from Scotland, Vijay Singh from Fiji, Tsuneyuki Nakajima from Japan, Isao Aoki also from Japan, Harold Henning from South Africa and many others.

The par 3 contests is an exciting event that guarantee great fun for the whole family. It is also an excellent way to relax and unwind before the Masters tournament starts.  In December last year, Billy Payne, Chairman of the Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club, announced that ESPN will cover the par 3 contests on April 9 from 3:00- 5:00 p.m. This contest is a great opportunity for both players and patrons to enjoy golf together. In addition, it is one way to promote the game of golf especially to the younger generation.   For master's badges, housing and hospitality call 404-444-4444.