Masters Par 3 Tournament 2018: Tom Watson Becomes Oldest Winner in History
Tim Daniels@TimDanielsBR
Featured ColumnistApril 4, 2018
Tom Watson won the 2018 Masters Tournament Par 3 Contest with a six-under 21 during the showcase event Wednesday at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia.
Watson, 68, previously won the Par 3 Contest in 1982 and becomes the oldest winner in the tournament's history. He's not in the field for the Masters, so the streak of no golfer winning the contest and the season's first major in the same week will continue.
The eight-time major champion played alongside fellow legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, and all three were in contention with their mostly younger counterparts throughout the afternoon.
Other top finishers included Tommy Fleetwood and Thomas Pieters (tied second place, five under) as well as Adam Hadwin and Chez Reavie, who tied with Nicklaus for fourth at four under. Tiger Woods didn't participate.
The Par 3 Contest is traditionally a light-hearted competition before the intensity picks up Thursday morning as the chase for the green jacket begins. Many players don't even record an official score as they let family members, friends or special guests take shots for them.
Here's a look at some of the day's best moments, highlights and social-media reaction:
Looking ahead, this year's Masters has received a monster hype boost thanks to Woods' strong play in recent months. After a couple years where it looked like his days of seriously competing on the sport's biggest stages were over because of back problems, he's showcased top-tier form as of late.
That means the one moment golf fans have been hoping for may finally come to fruition—Tiger in his trademark red and black battling the current era's top stars, led by Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler, for a major title on the back nine Sunday.