The Masters Par 3 Contest keeps growing in stature
The Masters Par 3 Contest offers a rare glimpse into the human side of golf's biggest stars as they play with their families.
Perhaps no sport shows the human side of athletes better than golf, and perhaps no day brings out that human side more than Wednesday afternoon at the Masters . Since 1960, the Masters Par 3 Contest has served as a table-setter for golf’s biggest event. It’s the last chance for fans to get a look at players before the real tournament begins and, more importantly, it’s the last chance for players to relax and enjoy themselves before embarking on the mentally treacherous journey toward a Green Jacket.
Players bring along their wives, girlfriends, children and grandchildren for the most adorable nine holes in golf — a reprieve from the stresses of a major championship week, when normally pros are grinding away on the driving range or the practice green in an attempt to find one last competitive edge before their Thursday tee time. But not at the Masters. Instead, they’re tasked with two main objectives: Smile for the camera, and don’t lose sight of the little ones.
“[My favorite thing is] just the collection of all the kids in our group,” Kevin Kisner said in the 2025 Golfweek Masters survey. “Saving them from running in the water, picking up clubs and ice creams while trying to hit a golf shot in between all of that. ” “It’s usually just crying kids,” Jason Day said in the same survey.
“Always an adventure trying to hold the baby between shots. ” For its first 48 years in existence, the Masters Par 3 Contest was a more private affair. It wasn’t part of the annual television coverage and fans were only given a glimpse into the leisurely round via photographs or the written word.