Masters 2011: Do the Golfers at Augusta Really Want To Win the Par 3 Contest?

(Please see update at end of story.)

Wednesday is the big day at Augusta National. Wait you say, doesn't the Masters start on Thursday?

Yes, but Wednesday is the traditional Par 3 Contest, and history tells us whoever wins the Par 3 Contest might as well pack up and go home.

Why? Because no winner of the Par 3 Contest has ever gone on to win that year's Masters.

The Par 3 Contest was first played in 1960 and has become a tradition at the Masters.

Clifford Roberts who founded Augusta National along with Bobby Jones always envisioned a par-3 course on the property. In 1958, Roberts had architect George Cobb design the 1,060-yard layout on property that is to the left of the clubhouse but also out of view from Magnolia Lane. 

Each year many of the Masters participants, as well as some non-competing past champions and honoree invitees, tee it up for a day of light fun and sometimes really good golf.

Many of the players have their sons, daughters or grandchildren caddie for them, wearing the traditional white overalls as part of their attire.

Over the years there have been 18 sudden-death playoffs, and there have been 72 holes-in-one made. The course record of 20 is shared by Art Wall (1965) and Gay Brewer (1973).

If you have ever played a par-3 course like I have, you know how good a score of 20 is.

I've always said a par-3 course is actually harder than a regulation course for the simple reason that if you hit a bad tee shot on a par-4 or par-5 you can make it up with a good second and third shot. If you hit a bad tee shot on a par-3 you are in trouble and most likely won't make par.

But when the pros tee it up on Wednesday, you have to wonder if they really want to win. Nobody has ever won the tournament the same year in which he won the Par 3 Contest.

Not once. Zip. Nada.

Is there a jinx involved with winning the event, kind of like the dreaded Sports Illustrated cover jinx?

Most pros laugh at that idea.

In a 2008 ESPN article by Bob Harig, when asked about a jinx Scotland's Sandy Lyle who won the Masters in 1988 and captured the Par 3 in 1997 and 1998 said, "No way. I won it two years in a row. I'm the only European to win it two years in a row. I don't believe in that jinx thing. That's a myth. I want to win it, of course."

But when you think of all the great golfers who have played in the event over the years you have to wonder why no one has won the Masters title the same year they took the par-3 event.

Tiger Woods couldn't do it—neither could Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus. Or any of the other past Par-3 Contest winners, all of whom are great golfers or they wouldn’t be playing in the Masters.

Will the winner of this year's Par-3 contest wear the coveted green jacket on Sunday? Time will tell. I know I will be curious to see who that player is and then follow his score during the tournament.

The 2011 Masters Par 3 Contest will be held on Wednesday, April 6, starting at 12:30 p.m., live streaming video coverage will begin on Masters.com at 3:00 p.m., with live coverage on ESPN from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Update:

I guess Luke Donald might as well pack up and go home because he isn't going to win the Masters this year. Well unless he becomes the first person to break The Masters jinx after winning the par-three contest at Augusta.

Donald shot a five-under 22 to beat out Raymond Floyd and Angel Cabrera who both shot a 4-under 23.

The only hole-in-one of the day was made by Craig Stadler on the first hole.
 
Of course considering Donald's best finish in the Masters is a tie for third in 2005 he might want to go ahead and play the tournament—a lot of golfers would be quite happy with a finish like that.

And who knows, maybe this is the year the jinx will be broken and Donald will don the green jacket on Sunday.

End of update.