Aaron Rai Looks To Break Masters Par 3 Curse After Wednesday Win

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 08: Aaron Rai (R) of England poses with the Crystal Pedestal Bowl with member Lee Styslinger III (L) after winning the Par Three Contest prior to the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 08, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

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Aaron Rai looks to break the curse of the Masters Par 3 Tournament by becoming the first winner of Wednesday’s contest to also win the Masters Tournament.

Rai shot 6-under par during Wednesday’s Par 3 Contest. The nine-hole par-3 course plays adjacent to the main course and features the bold, intimidating slopes, forced carries over glistening water hazards, and perfect conditioning for which Augusta National is known.

“The experience was phenomenal,” Rai said. “We shared the round with Patrick Reed and Jon Rahm, who had their family and kids out. I was there with my wife as well. Yeah, just a lovely day. Definitely didn't expect to play quite as well as I did!”

Source: SkySports

In the 63 iterations of the contest, no player has gone on to win the main tournament in the same year. Only two players — Ben Crenshaw and Vijay Singh — have won the Masters after previously winning the Par 3 Contest. Crenshaw won the Par 3 in 1987, then claimed his second green jacket in 1995. Singh won the Par 3 in 1994, then the Masters in 2000. Two players have finished runner-up in the Masters during the same year they won the Par 3 Contest.

The lore of the Par 3 Contest is so entrenched that players actively withdraw from competition. The family-oriented event often features guest or spouse caddies, kids playing in bunkers or running across greens, and famously, the celebrity shot. It is this celebrity shot that often saves leaders of the Par 3 Contest from completing their round.

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 08: Scottie Scheffler of the United States, wife Meredith, son Bennett and son Remy walk the fourth hole during the Par Three Contest prior to the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 08, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

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Frequently, the children or spouses of contestants putt or chip for participants, effectively eliminating them from competition. A player who does not complete every stroke on the course is withdrawn from the event’s score.

Of the 85 players who entered and played in the event, 67 failed to post a score. This included favorites such as Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, and Rory McIlroy. The finishing list of participants was comprised mostly of first- and second-time Masters players and former Masters champions.

The contest was filled with hijinks. Masters champion Bubba Watson turned a 3-foot putt into a 30-footer, putting it up and down a large slope past the hole before making the comeback attempt.

This is Rai’s second Masters Tournament after finishing tied for 27th in last year’s event. Rai is currently tied for 10th after the first round at 1-under par. He tees off Friday at 9:02 a.m. EST.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com