What players get for winning the Par 3 contest at the Masters: List of previous winners

The Masters is an annual golf tournament drenched in tradition, and one of its most beloved events is the Par 3 Contest. This event, held on the Wednesday of Tournament week, is a family affair that brings together wives, girlfriends, children, and grandchildren, who happily serve as caddies for the participating golfers. The sight of toddlers dressed in miniature Augusta National jumpsuits toting a light bag or tending a flagstick more than twice their height is a heartwarming sight that brings smiles to onlookers near and far.

The Par 3 Contest dates back to 1960, when it was first held as an exhibition event. Initially, it was met with resistance from some Club members who saw it as a novelty and derided the notion of a “Tom Thumb course.” However, it has since become a beloved tradition now televised worldwide.

The event on Wednesday is part competition and part stress relief for the competing golfers. It is played on a short, nine-hole course that winds around DeSoto Springs Pond and Ike’s Pond. The holes range from 90 to 155 yards, and there have been 107 holes-in-one over the years, including a record nine in 2016.

Related stories

Golf

Why everyone loves the Masters phone ban

Golf

The curse at the Masters Par 3 Course

The contestants in the Par 3 Contest include tournament participants and past champions who have not competed. The winner of the Par 3 Contest is the contestant who has the lowest score after nine holes and receives an engraved crystal bowl. Interestingly, no winner of the Par 3 Contest has ever gone on to win the Masters in the same year, but it remains a coveted title in its own right.

While some contestants take the competition seriously, many prefer to stroll around the nine holes, occasionally having their caddies attempt a shot. The Par 3 Contest is an easygoing event that provides a break from the intensity of the Masters Tournament, which begins the following day.

List of past Masters Par 3 winners