Jack Nicklaus stopped playing competitively in the Masters Tournament four years ago. You couldn't tell Wednesday afternoon.

Gary Player celebrates his unofficial hole-in-one on No. 9 on his second shot during the Par-3 Contest as Arnold Palmer laughs and fans cheer. Player's first shot went into Ike's Pond, so the hole-in-one was just a par. (Michael Holahan/Staff)

To the approval of Augusta's patrons, the Golden Bear roared in the Par-3 Contest. Nicklaus birdied the first two holes and entered the last hole at 3-under-par. Then, grandson Chris O'Leary continued the Nicklaus greatness -- he curled in the six-foot birdie putt at No. 9.

Nicklaus teamed with fellow legends Arnold Palmer and Gary Player for a Big Three reunion in the tune-up before the start of the Masters. With 15-year-old O'Leary on the bag, Nicklaus continued his legacy in Augusta, which began with his first appearance in 1959.

"I've enjoyed playing with Arnold and Gary. We always have a lot of fun every year," Nicklaus said after the round. "It's nice to get back in front of Augusta a little bit. The people here have been great to me through the years."

Masters Tournament Chairman Billy Payne said the next step for Nicklaus is to join Palmer as an honorary starter, an invitation the six-time Masters champion continues to decline.

"I'm going to continue to talk to Jack Nicklaus about it," said Payne, who will also talk to Gary Player about being an honorary starter. "So we'll have a couple of conversations going on."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.