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Posted April 5, 2016, 3:10 pm
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Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades

Laid-back event offers fun for competitors, families
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Dash Day, son of Jason Day, shows off the ball after making a putt at last year's Par-3 Contest. Golfers often have their kids caddie at the event.
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Caleb Watson, son of Bubba Watson, plays with a pink driver on the No. 7 green during the Par-3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club, Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in Augusta, Georgia. (JON-MICHAEL SULLIVAN/STAFF)
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Keegan Bradley, left, reacts after Jillian Stacey's putt sank on No. 6 during the Par-3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club, Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in Augusta, Georgia. (CHRIS THELEN/STAFF)
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Leo Rose, left, and Carson Kuchar fight over a pin on No. 7 green during the Par-3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club, Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in Augusta, Georgia. (JON-MICHAEL SULLIVAN/STAFF)
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    William Haas, son of Bill Haas reacts after chipping on No. 7 during the Par-3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club, Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in Augusta, Georgia. (JON-MICHAEL SULLIVAN/STAFF)
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    At left, past Masters champions Jack Nicklaus (from left), Ben Crenshaw and Gary Player take part in 2015's Par-3. Noncompeting champions can still play the preliminary event, as can honorary invitees. At right, Keegan Bradley celebrates a good putt by girlfriend Jillian Stacey.
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Zach Johnson's family poses for a picture on No. 7 during the Par-3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club, Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in Augusta, Georgia. (JON-MICHAEL SULLIVAN/STAFF)
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Mclain Walker runs ahead of his father Jimmy Walker on No. 6 during the Par-3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club, Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in Augusta, Georgia. (CHRIS THELEN/STAFF)
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Workers tend to the Par 3 course during a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club, Wednesday, April 8, 2015, in Augusta, Georgia. (MICHAEL HOLAHAN/STAFF)
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Sam Snead
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Snead
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    The Par-3 course was designed in 1958. Two new holes were built in 1987.
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Arnold Palmer receives the green jacket after his win in the 1958 Masters.
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Wood
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Eisenhower
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    Masters' Par-3 Contest has delivered fun for decades
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    Brandt Snedeker's son Austin makes a putt on No. 9 during the Par-3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club, Wednesday, April 8, 2015,

Coming up with a fun event to attract fans can be a challenge for even the best golf tournaments, including the Masters.

Consider that in 1934, the first Augusta National Invitation Tournament featured two such events: an iron play contest and an alternate shot event.

Though those events didn’t last very long, the Masters didn’t stop trying to entertain its patrons. After World War II, an instructional clinic and long driving contest were held on the Wednesday before the tournament. The common area between the ninth and 18th holes was used for such events, and students from area high schools attended.

By the mid-1950s, the clinic had progressed to include an exhibition by trick-shot artist Paul Hahn.

It wasn’t until 1960 that the Masters came up with an event that has stood the test of time: the Par-3 Contest.

Designed as a fun event to let competitors blow off some steam before the tournament proper, it also fits nicely into Augusta National’s mission to grow the game.

The contest is held on the Wednesday before the tournament, and participation is optional. Players often invite their children, spouses or celebrities to be their caddies for a day.

Though most regular professional events hold pro-am tournaments, the Par-3 Contest is open to tournament competitors, noncompeting past champions and honorary invitees.

The winner receives a crystal bowl, and those closest to the pin on each hole get prizes.
“Only trophies and souvenirs are offered as prizes, but the competition is keen and the contest attracts large numbers of patrons,” Augusta National co-founder Clifford
Roberts wrote of the Par-3 Contest in his book, The Story of the Augusta National Golf Club. “It is, in fact, much more popular than the clinics, driving and iron play contests, and trick-shot entertainment staged on Wednesdays prior to the existence of our par-three course.”

Roberts would no doubt be pleased with how the Par-3 Contest has grown. It is now televised live, and the demand for tickets is nearly as great as for a tournament day.

The only negative thing about the Par-3 Contest is the jinx: No one has won the Par-3 and the Masters in the same year, though several have come close.

Raymond Floyd won the event in 1990, then lost the Masters in a sudden-death playoff to Nick Faldo.

In 1987, Ben Crenshaw won the warm-up act and then held the 54-hole lead. He finished one shot out of the three-way playoff won by Larry Mize.

Chip Beck was runner-up in 1993 after winning the Par-3 earlier in the week.

The Course of History
 
The Par-3 Course can trace its origin to the late 1940s, when new member Dwight D. Eisenhower was walking on the eastern part of the property and discovered what he thought would be an ideal spot for a fish pond.
 
Eisenhower told Clifford Roberts about his discovery – he even had a suggestion for where the dam should be placed – and the pond was promptly built.
 
In 1958, the Par-3 Course was designed by architect George Cobb and Roberts. The nine-hole layout plays over DeSoto Springs Pond and Ike’s Pond.
 
 
 
First Par-3 Contest
 
Sam Snead won the inaugural event in 1960 with a score of 4-under-par 23. He edged Doug Sanders, Lew Worsham and Dick Knight by one stroke.
 
The tournament was an instant success, a fact realized by Masters and Augusta National co-founder Clifford Roberts.
 
“Due to the indicated popularity of this new type of preliminary event with the patrons and players, it is likely that it will be staged again next year on the day preceding the first round of the Masters Tournament,” Roberts said in The Augusta Chronicle.
 
 
On This Date
 
1936
 
In the tournament’s first Monday finish, Horton Smith shot rounds of 68 and 72 to become the tournament’s first two-time winner.
 
1941
 
Craig Wood closed with 72 to become the first wire-to-wire champion in Masters history.
 
1947
 
Jimmy Demaret shot 71 to win and also was the first to post four subpar rounds in the same Masters.
 
1952
 
Sam Snead won his second green jacket with a final-round 72.
 
1958
 
Arnold Palmer, aided by a rules decision that went his way and an eagle at No. 13, won his first Masters.
 
1967
 
Bruce Devlin made a double eagle at No. 8 using a 4-wood from 248 yards out.