The Masters Par 3 Contest returns on Wednesday, April 9 at Augusta National’s nine-hole Par 3 Course, and while the event carries no competitive significance, it remains one of golf’s most beloved traditions—and one of its most enduring superstitions. No player has ever won the Par 3 Contest and the Masters in the same year, a streak spanning over six decades that looms larger with each passing tournament.
ESPN will televise coverage from 2-4 p.m. ET, with additional streaming available on Masters.com and ESPN+ starting at noon. The event runs from approximately 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, giving fans a relaxed, family-friendly window to watch the world’s best golfers in an entirely different competitive context.
The Course and Format
Augusta National’s Par 3 Course is a nine-hole layout designed by George Cobb and opened in 1958, two years before the Par 3 Contest itself began. The course plays 1,060 yards with holes ranging from 70 to 140 yards—short by modern standards but exquisitely designed, with water hazards protecting five of the nine greens and undulations that reward precise distance control.
The format is straightforward: each player in the Masters field can choose to participate, playing nine holes of stroke play. There is no cut, no prize money, and no leaderboard implications for the main event. The winner receives a crystal trophy. The real reward is the atmosphere—the Par 3 Contest is the most relaxed, fan-friendly event of Masters week, with players often inviting family members, children, and even caddies to hit shots during the round.
It is not uncommon to see toddlers putting on the greens, spouses hitting tee shots, and players laughing and joking between holes. This stands in stark contrast to the intensity of the tournament itself, which begins the following morning. For many players, the Par 3 Contest serves as a final opportunity to loosen up, shake off nerves, and enjoy the occasion before four days of the most pressurized golf in the world.
The Curse: 63 Years and Counting
The Par 3 Contest’s most famous feature is not the course or the format—it is the so-called “curse.” Since the event’s inception in 1960, no player has ever won the Par 3 Contest and the Green Jacket in the same week. The streak has survived 63 editions and shows no signs of breaking.
The superstition is so deeply embedded in Masters culture that many serious contenders either skip the Par 3 Contest entirely or play only a few holes before withdrawing. Scottie Scheffler, the 2026 tournament favorite, has historically participated but never finished all nine holes. Rory McIlroy, defending his title this year, typically plays the full event but has publicly dismissed the curse as coincidence.
The statistical reality is that the curse is almost certainly meaningless—the Par 3 Contest winner is one player out of a field of roughly 90, and the Masters winner is also one out of roughly 90. The probability of the same player winning both in any given year is naturally low. Over 63 years, the streak is statistically unremarkable. But statistics have never stopped golfers from being superstitious, and the Par 3 curse has become part of the tournament’s mythology.
Some close calls have kept the legend alive. In 2004, Padraig Harrington won the Par 3 Contest with a record-tying score of 20 (7 under par) and then finished in the top 15 of the Masters but never seriously contended. In 2015, Kevin Streelman set a new Par 3 Contest record of 5 under par through seven holes before withdrawing—perhaps wisely—and went on to make the cut in the main event.
Holes-in-One: The Par 3 Contest’s Main Attraction
Beyond the curse, the Par 3 Contest is best known for producing an extraordinary number of holes-in-one. The short yardages, premium players, and carnival atmosphere combine to create ace opportunities on nearly every hole.
The all-time record for holes-in-one in a single Par 3 Contest is nine, set in 2016. Some years produce none; others produce clusters that electrify the small gallery following each group. The roars that carry across Augusta’s property from the Par 3 Course to the main practice areas are one of the distinctive sounds of Masters Wednesday.
For players, a hole-in-one during the Par 3 Contest is a memorable highlight regardless of career achievements. For spectators, witnessing one is often the most exciting moment of their entire Masters trip—the intimate setting of the Par 3 Course means every patron is close enough to see the ball drop.
Who to Watch This Year
While predicting the Par 3 Contest winner is a fool’s errand, several storylines are worth following.
Tiger Woods, playing in what many expect could be one of his final Masters appearances, always draws the largest galleries during the Par 3 Contest. His interactions with his children on the course have produced some of the event’s most iconic recent images. The 90th Masters adds extra poignancy to every Woods appearance at Augusta this year.
First-time Masters participants often use the Par 3 Contest as a way to settle their nerves. For players like Maria Jose Marin’s male counterparts from the Augusta National Amateur and any tournament debutants, Wednesday’s nine holes provide a low-stakes opportunity to experience the Augusta atmosphere before the main event. Understanding how to manage first tee nerves applies to professionals and amateurs alike.
LIV Golf players competing in the Masters—including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau—often use the Par 3 Contest as a chance to reconnect with PGA Tour peers in a social setting. The event’s relaxed atmosphere provides a rare moment of unity between the two tours during a week when competitive tensions can run high.
How to Watch
For fans at Augusta, the Par 3 Course is accessible with a Wednesday practice round ticket—which are among the hardest tickets in sports to acquire. The intimate setting means patrons can stand within a few feet of players and their families, creating an experience unlike any other in professional golf.
For those watching from home, ESPN’s record coverage includes dedicated Par 3 Contest programming from 2-4 p.m. ET. Masters.com and the Masters app will stream featured group coverage starting earlier at noon, giving digital viewers an extended window to catch the action. The broadcast typically focuses on the final groups finishing, where the contest’s outcome is decided.
What You Can Take to Your Own Game
The Par 3 Contest is a masterclass in short iron play. Watch how the world’s best players approach shots between 70 and 140 yards—the distances that most amateur golfers face on par 3s at their home courses.
Pay attention to club selection. Many players will choose to flight the ball lower in the warm, dry conditions forecast for Wednesday—using a full pitching wedge instead of a soft 9-iron, for example—to maintain control and reduce the influence of any breeze. This approach to consistent iron striking applies directly to amateur play.
Notice the pre-shot routines. In the relaxed Par 3 Contest atmosphere, you can often see players’ full routines more clearly than during the heat of competition. A solid pre-round warm-up and consistent pre-shot process are among the most transferable skills from watching professional golf.
The Par 3 Contest may not count for anything on the leaderboard, but it counts for everything in the Masters experience. Enjoy Wednesday’s show—and keep an eye out for the player who wins it. If history holds, you can safely cross them off your Masters pick sheet.
