2023 Masters: What is the curse of the Par 3?
Tom Hoge, who won his only PGA title last year, dismissed the curse of the Par 3 after overtaking Bubba Watson to win the Masters Par-3 Contest
No Par-3 Contest winner has ever captured the green jacket in the same year, thus the tradition of a Masters curse.
Tom Hoge, however, risked an Augusta National curse on the eve of the 87th Masters after winning the special 1,055-yard nine-hole layout. World number 26 overtook Bubba Watson to win the annual Par-3 Contest Wednesday at Augusta National.
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Two-time Masters champion and LIV Golfer Watson, who aced the 70-yard fourth hole, and Arnold Palmer Invitational winner, Kurt Kitayama, were second at five-under.
Hoge won his only PGA title last year at Pebble Beach and placed 39th last year in his Masters’ debut.
The last time a golf player got close to winning the Par 3 contest and the Masters at Augusta was back in 1990. Raymond Floyd recorded his only Par 3 victory and was on his way to breaking the curse Sunday afternoon. Following a birdie on No. 12, the 47-year-old was four strokes clear of Nick Faldo with six holes to play. Faldo, however, ended up slipping into a Green Jacket in a playoff for a second consecutive year.