The 86th Masters unofficially kicks off Wednesday as one of the great mini-traditions within the tradition unlike any other. The Masters Par 3 Contest, held each Wednesday prior to the beginning of championship competition, returns for the first time since 2019 after being postponed two years amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Par 3 course is nestled on the property near the 18 holes of grandeur that will decide the 2022 Masters champion, but the competition comes with much less tension than what we expect to see at Augusta National on Sunday.
It is — first and foremost — a family event with many of the golfers’ significant others and children joining them on the course dressed in the signature all-white Augusta National caddie jumpsuits. There is an official winner each year, but mostly it serves as a great way for players to take a load off before the stressful days ahead. In fact, not everyone keeps score. One bit of warning for the Par 3 Contest winner: You’re unlikely to go on to win the Masters. In fact, it has never happened before.
The Par 3 Contest was originally held in 1960, and ever since, there have been an astounding 90 holes-in-one made — including nine (!) in 2016. We also get to see children taking putts on the green, golfers trying trick shots to skip it across the water and more. CBS Sports will be with you the entire way as preparation continues for the 2022 Masters. Keep it locked here, and view our complete viewer’s guide.
Watch all four rounds of the 2022 Masters starting Thursday with Masters Live as we follow the best golfers in the world throughout Augusta National with Featured Groups, check in at the famed Amen Corner and see leaders round the turn on holes 15 & 16. Watch live on CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports App and Paramount+.
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