It was a leaderboard that looked like a throwback to another era.
At the top was Tom Watson with Jack Nicklaus in the second slot, behind by two shots.
But the pair didn’t find the Fountain of Youth; instead the two legends were part of the Masters’ Par 3 Contest, the Wednesday hit-and-giggle that signals it is time to get down to business at Augusta National. Nicklaus’ round was capped off by his 15-year old grandson, Gary, making an ace on the final hole, a result that made the Golden Bear teary-eyed.
“With all due respect to @themasters, allow me to put my 6 Green Jackets in the closet for a moment and say that I don’t know if I have had a more special day on a golf course,” Nicklaus tweeted. “To have your grandson make his first hole-in-one on this stage…. WOW!”
With all due respect to @themasters, allow me to put my 6 Green Jackets in the closet for a moment and say that I don’t know if I have had a more special day on a golf course. To have your grandson make his first hole-in-one on this stage…. WOW! #Family #memoryofalifetime pic.twitter.com/3TSLwlV0m9
— Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) April 4, 2018
Watson, 68, won the contest, a significant factor given the so-called curse of the Par 3 Contest that suggests anyone who is victorious won’t win the actual Masters. Watson suggested it was the sign of things to come at the actual event.
“Watch out for the old guys,” said Watson, “You’ve got Mickelson and you’ve got Tiger. Watch out. They could make some noise.”
Watson, twice a winner at the Masters, credited the victory to his deft putting.
The Canadians
Not only did Canadians Mike Weir and Adam Hadwin play together, but both finished near the top of the leaderboard at the Par 3 Contest, with Hadwin shooting 4-under par, and Weir, the 2003 winner, shooting 3-under par.
Hadwin said last week that his game is rounding into shape, and he expects to be more comfortable at his second Masters.
“You gain an acceptance of the uncomfortable,” he said. “You recognize the nerves and you know how to react to them.”
Weir, who celebrates the 15th anniversary of his dramatic playoff win over Len Mattiace, recently made his first cut on the PGA Tour in several years. Nearing his 48th birthday, Weir expects to play on the Web.com Tour for the remainder of the year.
Aces & Ankle Injuries
The hole-in-one always captures a lot of attention at the Par 3 Contest, and there were two this year, aside from the unofficial one by Jack Nicklaus’ grandson. Tony Finau made one on the 7th hole, only to injure his ankle celebrating. He finished the event, but his status to play Thursday is unknown.
Not for the easily queasy.https://t.co/xQIEyEutZw
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 4, 2018
Tiger Mania
To no surprise, large crowds surrounded Tiger Woods, just hoping to catch a glimpse of the four-time Masters Champ. The world will be watching as Tiger tees off at Augusta National tomorrow at 10:42am for his first round since 2015.
“I feel great. I feel like I’ve really put a lot of pieces together. We have worked on what body parts to get stronger, what body parts need to be more limber, and I feel fantastic. It’s just a matter of now going out there and competing and playing and posting numbers.”
Spider Switch Up
The Par 3 Contest is always a more laid back and fun environment for the players to let loose and have a bit of fun before getting down to business Thursday. Buddies Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm were paired together Wednesday and much to the crowd’s delight, decided to swap putters at one point. Rory’s putter was clearly a little short for Rahm, which gave spectators a good chuckle as his stance was a bit more hunched over than usual.
