Par‑3 Contest Surprise
The Masters Par 3 Contest produced a rare viral moment — four holes‑in‑one in the highlights package — turning a low‑pressure, family event into must‑see social clips. (youtube.com) Those kinds of feel‑good highlights tend to travel far beyond hardcore golf fans, so expect the tournament’s social feeds to lean on these clips all weekend. (youtube.com)
Four different players made holes-in-one at Augusta National’s Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, and the official Masters highlights reel turned a nine-hole warmup into a six-minute run of aces, kids in white caddie suits, and gallery roars. (youtube.com) The four aces came from Justin Thomas, Wyndham Clark, Keegan Bradley, and Tommy Fleetwood during the 2026 contest on April 8, one day before the Masters begins. (youtube.com) Keegan Bradley’s shot was a history one: the Professional Golfers’ Association Tour said he became the first player in Par 3 Contest history to make a hole-in-one in back-to-back years. (pgatour.com) Tommy Fleetwood’s family ended up in the middle of the loudest clips, because his son Frankie also took swings on the ninth hole and nearly drove the green over the water in the closing scene of CBS Sports’ live coverage. (cbssports.com) The Par 3 Contest looks nothing like the Masters itself. It is nine holes, par 27, about 1,060 yards total, and Augusta National has run it on the Wednesday before the tournament since 1960. (usatoday.com) Players often hand the bag to their wives, children, or parents, which is why Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, and Justin Thomas were photographed walking with toddlers and kids dressed as mini caddies this week. (people.com) That family setup is part of the event’s reputation, but the golf is real enough that Aaron Rai still had to shoot 6-under-par 21 to win the 2026 edition. (golfchannel.com) There is also a long-running superstition attached to it: no player has ever won the Par 3 Contest and then won the Masters in the same week. Golfweek’s historical rundown said that streak was still intact entering this year. (golfweek.usatoday.com) So the April 8 contest produced two different stories at once. Aaron Rai got the trophy, but the clips most people will remember are the four aces and the family moments that made a Wednesday exhibition feel bigger than a practice day. (golfchannel.com)
